When the World is Burning
by absolutely-enraptured
Summary: "God help us," She said, disentangling her hand from his, placing it upon her hip, and laughing at a joke he didn't mean to make, it echoed, full and bright, against the trees. "God help us all."
1. Chapter 1

_"I warned you of this path, Sonya."_

_Her chin tilted upward in defiance, she remained silent._

_Zachariah shook his head, brandishing a shining silver blade. He moved forward to plunge it into her body and she leaped out of it's way._

_It's now or never._

_Sonya thrust her hand through her flesh, into the insides of her body, she reached around until she found what she was searching for. Her fingers closed around the pulsating substance and she tore it from her body. All of this contained in two guttural screams as she pulled the glowing, white-hot orb from within her._

_She relished in the look of utter shock and horror on Zachariah's faced before plummeting Earthward._

* * *

><p>"Red?" Abe called out as he maneuvered carefully around the pile of discarded cigars and beer cans. "Red?" Making his way past the small mound of what looked like molding nachos, Abe Sapien spotted the large, red man sprawled on his bed, tail flicking carelessly in the air.<p>

"You know, when the bureau hired us back, I'm sure it wasn't to lie around in filth all day." Abe said to his friend who mumbled incoherently in return. "I know it's been difficult since Liz left and—"

"Don't say her name." Hellboy grunted, his voice half-muffled by a pillow.

"I know what you're going through, believe me," He flexed his webbed hand. "But, Red, just laying around won't help anything."

"What else am I supposed to do, Blue?"

"Keep going. That's what she's doing."

Hellboy opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a siren. A voice, undoubtedly Manning's, telling everyone to meet in the lowest level of the facility as soon as they can.

Upon entering the area, Hellboy noticed two armed guards and cluster of men, including Manning, standing around something as if it were something alien and odd. Pushing his way through the people, Abe on his heels, Red's amber eyes came to rest on what they were all crowded around. It was a woman.

* * *

><p>Wind rushed past her falling form at speed that seemed to tear Sonya's skin away from her. Her breath forced from her lungs by the atmospheric pressure. Her dark purple feathers, streaked with the debris of the atmosphere, were in soft tufts falling around her. She was falling through the atmosphere, her dark curls swirling violently through the air. The air whistled against her, and only one of her brethren, Zachariah, saw this anomaly. In his eyes, this betrayal.<p>

Her Grace-the essence of angels, the reasons they even had so much power-no longer pulsated within the fragile form of Sonya, she was now only skin on muscle on bone. As she fell, her eyelids remained closed without so much as a twitch, a flicker. She wanted to look back, wanted to encapsulate one final glimpse of the place she was deserting,but she remembered the moral implications of _looking back_. Lord, she wanted to look back.

Light formed around her, licks of flame raking her body, a trail of dust and magma following her descent. Getting closer to the Earth, she flung open her eyes staring out over the horizon, the aching sunset of reds and magentas, oranges and yellows, the mirror image gurgling with the tide in the water below_. _A memory of watching this from up above, vivid and fresh, ripped into her mind before she closed her eyes again.

Finally, she splattered to the earth below in a shower of blood, a pain that man would not understand. Her body, stronger than any human's could ever hope to be, slammed through layer upon layer of metal and wood. Arms clasped peacefully across her chest, like a corpse at a funeral receiving its last good-byes, she broke the last layer of tiles, slamming forcefully into the ground below her, impact rippling the ground. As the dust settles, her eyes fluttered open, taking in the scene around her; her body already healed and flawless from the damages she suffered.

There were humans everywhere, it was some sort of laboratory, cold, white tiles beneath her naked body. Sonya sucked in a gasping breath, scuttling backward on her hands until she was hidden under a table. Her electric blue eyes darting wildly as she took in the people watching her.

She tucked her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, her dark curls falling over her eyes.

"W-where..." Her voice came out rasping and breathless. "Where am I?" She struggled to focus, her insides were aching and her head was spinning.

"You're at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense." A fairly tall balding man informed her.

But she was no longer listening, Sonya's eyes finding the tall, shirtless, red man standing in the room.

Her lips shaped soundless words before actually speaking them. "Anung Un Rama."

**_A/N: So, here goes nothing, this idea has been fluttering around in my mind for about a month now and I finally decided to write it. Please review :)  
><em>**


	2. Chapter 2

He blinked, taken aback by the intense way she was watching him and the way she said his name.

Who was this girl? And how did she know his true name? Hellboy took a step forward, his boots clunking against the tiles. "Me?"

Abe walked up, holding his out to get a read on the girl. "Her name is..." He cocked his head to the side. "Hmm, that's odd." He seemed to concentrate harder. "How unusual, I cannot find any information on her."

Accepting a jacket from one of the guards, she wrapped it around herself to conceal her nude form. The girl stood, bare feet against the cold tiles. "My name is Sonya and I am an angel."

Manning came forward before Red could get a word in. "You're a what?"

"An angel." She repeated.

"They...exist?"

"It's not hard to believe that there is a demon standing not ten feet from you but you cannot accept that I'm an angel?" She stated, a twinge of annoyance entering her voice.

He looked flustered for a moment and then extended his hand for her to shake. "I'm Tom Manning, I basically run this facility."

She eyed his hand warily until he dropped it to his side.

"Last I checked we're pretty tight on security. How did you get in here?"

"I fell." She cast her eyes up to the ceiling and pointed to the large holes that traveled upward until you could glimpse the night sky. She scanned the room and then looked back to him. "What do you exactly do at this place, Mortal?"

"We investigate and hunt the supernatural." He answered, scoffing at the fact that she referred to him as 'mortal'.

"I require your assistance," She told them and she moved toward the doorway. One of the guards pointed his gun at her.

"I can't allow you to do that, Miss. Don't move."

"Lower your weapon."

The guard didn't move, his hand tightening around the gun. Sonya looked at the weapon curiously for a moment. In one swift movement, she snatched the gun from his grasp and hit him square in the nose with the butt of the gun and turned the weapon onto the rest of the guards.

"I am not the enemy but I will not stand here while you point weapons at me." She looked at the gun in her hand and tossed it to the ground. "I need your help."

"Help with what?" Manning asked, eying the weapon the ground as if he was considering whether or not he should pick it up.

"Help me find my Grace."

"Your what?" Hellboy asked, taking out a cigar, striking a match and lighting it.

"My Grace. It's an Angel's essence, our powers, our wings. I tore it from my body to fall, but as it turns out I actually need it back." Sonya explained.

Seeing Manning's disapproving look, Hellboy took a drag off the cigar and shrugged. "I'm game."

Abe looked at Red and then back to Sonya. "I'll accompany you as well."

"No, no! I won't have you two running off with some supposed Angel that we just met, we don't know a thing about her for all we know this could be a trap." Manning protested.

"Well, it's not up to you, unless you want us to quit again." Hellboy scoffed.

"It's not a trap, trust me, please." The angel chimed in.

Angry but now compliant, Manning sighed and threw up his hands in defeat. Sonya sent a cool smile in his direction and knelt on the floor, her hands clasped together on her chest.

"Uh...what are you doing?" Red asked, for a moment he started to doubt his decision to join her in this mission.

She seemed to ignore this as she squeezed her eyes shut. Within a few ticks of the clock, her eyes flew open. "I've located it. It's in Central Park." Sonya informed them, getting to her feet again, the jacket that was draped over her riding up her thighs.

"Good, you can go tomorrow." Manning announced.

"Tomorrow?" The angel said, anger now lacing her tone.

"Yes, you need to be evaluated and given a tour of our facility before you make any further movements."

"If I weren't in need of transportation and back up, I would retrieve my Grace on my own." She snapped before she turned to Abe and Red. "Until tomorrow." Sonya allowed herself to escorted out by the guards and Manning.

"What was that?" Abe asked, following Hellboy as he exited the room.

"What was what?" He asked as he puffed on his cigar.

"What are you doing? Agreeing to go off with some woman who we don't even know, someone I can't even tell anything about."

"You told me to keep going, that the bureau didn't take us back in to just sit around. That's what I'm doing here, I'm keeping myself going."

"Not like this. We don't know if she is truly an Angel, or what her Grace really is, it's like Manning said, we could be walking right into a trap."

"Then it's a good thing I can defend myself, Blue."

* * *

><p>After an hour or so of being interviewed and asked about her previous whereabouts and how she exactly ended up here, Sonya was finally shown to her room. It was small, confining. The walls were a dull white color that matched the bed and the dresser, the mirror was the only hint of shine in the room. There were clothes laid out on the bed for her, more confinement in her eyes, and she changed into them.<p>

She found herself looking at the reflection in the mirror, a vain human thing to do but she couldn't help herself. Her dark loose curls hung about her neck and shoulders, her blue eyes seemed duller than ever and the white t-shirt and jeans they had bought her were far too tight.

Sonya laid down onto the bed, this would be difficult, but her mission needed to be carried out, who else would do this but her? She wished that her Grace would flow within her and show her the right path, and in a fleeting moment she swore she felt it flutter somewhere miles away.

Shutting her eyes, she felt the memories of her descent from Heaven resurface. How she had begged and pleaded with her closest brethren, the people she could trust, she wanted to persuade them to see things the correct way.

_"Just think of it, Isaac." Sonya had implored one of her fellow angels._

_"This is stupid," His voice rumbled deep in his chest, turning to walk away from her, from the realities she was trying to convince him to see._

_"_Isaac, please," She pleaded, appearing in front of him to cut off his escape. __

__Her fellow Angels wanted to bring about the apocalypse, they were tired, tired of not knowing what their Father wanted and tired of humans. They had assigned her to find Anung Un Rama and use him to start the end of time, and then they wanted her to slaughter him once he had gotten the job done. The angels were twisted, fed up with not knowing God's will and fed up with this tedious job.__

_ _Isaac's next words were harsh, they struck her hard and caught her off-guard. "What you are suggesting is blasphemy, disobedience." __

__She shook her head fervently. "The will of our Father," came her earnest correction, staring so desperately at him for understanding. __

_"_No, Sonya. I serve heaven." His final rebuke stung at first, a light graze of her Grace that caused her to hiss silently. __

_ "_Isaac, I…" Words failed her. They were on the precipice of war, and he was feigning loyalty to an absent General despite what she promised was reality. __

__She tried Gabriel next, he had always liked her and he was usually lenient, understanding, and she knew he liked to rebel on occasion.__

_"_Disobedience is different from a little fun rebellion. It is an unforgivable crime up here, Sonya, you know that." He had sighed. "God doesn't want us to abandon each other, and you cannot pretend to know that us bringing the Apocalypse is not what he wants."__

_"_But that's my point, no one knows what he wants, he left, we shouldn't end the Earth just because he's gone."__

__Gabriel shrugged and had refused to say more past that. So, she moved on to Michael. ___Michael was the eldest, the strongest, and every one of the archangels knew he was what they should strive to become._

_"_Michael, I implore you—"__

_Michael looked at her with eyes wrought with authority and condescension. That scrutinizing stare, so harsh from the one elder brother she admired, dipped down to catch her uncomfortable gaze. ___"Do you think our father would be proud of this theory? Reward you for being reckless, and uncooperative. Disloyal."__

__Breath hitching in her throat, she returned his stare with falsified confidence. "I know he is. He has to be. He created the humans, their destruction is not what he wants."__

__Michael waved his hand dismissively."They were a failed project. Now, it's time for the extermination."__

She sprung awake, her chest rising and falling fast. Glancing at the clock, she took note that it had been exactly five hours and thirteen minutes since she fell from Heaven. Surely, her fellow angels had not found her Grace yet, but they would soon. And without her Grace, falling from her brothers would have been for nothing.

Sonya decided that she would go to get her Grace, her energy, her everything, not tomorrow but now_._

* * *

><p>The smell of cigars and beer permeate the air, a unopened beer can was in Hellboy's hands, held gingerly. He could remember sitting here and drinking with Liz. He looked again at the can and made no move to open it.<p>

"You're not solving anything by watching it," A voice from across the room teased in a baffled sort of way, and his eyes snapped up, it was Sonya.

He opened the can and raised the beverage to his mouth slowly, eyes locked upon her as she looked to the pile of abandoned nachos, chili and other foods in front of her.

"Generally humans develop heart conditions from this amount of food," She commented, fingers nudging the plastic wrapper of a burger to the side before she realized he had paused.

"What are you doing in here?" The red man asked, setting down the can. He struggled to sit up and look over at the clock. "What time is it? How long did Manning have you interrogated?"

Her eyes tore away from him and glanced to the clock, and then she regarded him bemusedly. "How is that of import?"

For a moment he considered mocking the way she talked but decided against it. "Did you want something?"

"Can you accompany me?" Sonya seemed as if she were utterly worried about something.

"What? Now?"

"Now. I cannot wait until morning, I need my Grace back."

"Well, I'm all for sneaking out." Hellboy smirked as he rolled off of the bed and to his feet. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

**_**A/N: To anon: Hahaha, yeah! I did get most of the mythology of angels from supernatural and thanks :) And thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far**_**

* * *

><p>Hellboy and Sonya trudged through Central Park, the knife he had given her held in her shaking hand though it would do little against angels. The rain had started to come down like a waterfall and the fact that it was pitch black and cold November night didn't improve anything.<p>

"How do you know it's here?" Red asked, gun held in one hand as they walked.

"I can feel it, it's my energy, I'd know it anywhere." Sonya told him before abruptly stopping. "It leaves traces." She was eying a large oak tree now. "This is where it touched down, this tree is proof of that."

Sonya thrust the tip of the knife outward to ward off anyone who might be lurking in the shadows, and then she stalked forward, Red right behind her.

"You think it created this tree?" He asked, frowning.

"Yes, of course." She knelt down at the tree's base and laid her hand flat on the ground. Tightening her jaw in concentration, she dug her hand into the dirt as if it weren't much of a task.

Red watched confused and curious as she began to withdraw her hand. Something round and sphere-like was glowing in her hand, she turned to him with a smile.

"Shut your eyes."

"Mind telling me why?"

She held the radiant orb closer to her torso, her expression fading into the face of someone who was expecting pain. "Shut your eyes." She shoved it deep within her chest, shouting once more for him to avert his gaze.

He did as she asked, squeezing his eyes shut. Through his closed lids, he could see a flash of light and he heard someone cry out in pain. As the light faded the scream went with it, and then there was a distinctly feminine cry of delight. Hellboy's eyes flickered open and her hands clapped together her face was a mask of unabashed pride.

"I did it!" Sonya cried out. "I'm back to full power."

Red opened his eyes and nodded as she gave him a feline smirk, the way her lips curled dangerously as if she had the whole world all to herself. "Good, you got your powers back or whatever, now can we get back to Bureau so I can get my food or at least stop off somewhere to eat?" He said, suddenly wishing he had drank that beer and eaten some of the food before they left.

Ignoring him, she peered closely at the ground, her pupils dilating to see more clearly, black overtaking blue. "My Grace shed."

"It—what?"

"When your Grace is abandoned from your body for a certain period of time it sheds off properties to protect it." She backed away. "And these are rigged to blow."

"Well, fuck—"

"Get down!" Is all Sonya managed to yell before forcing Hellboy to the ground as chunks of the ground exploded into the night air. Her elbow skidded along the grass, and then Hellboy was on top of her, knocking the breath from between her ribs with an undignified grunt. The wave of heat from the explosion made her hiss with discomfort. She was too shocked and breathless to move and it seemed Hellboy was in the same predicament, his full weight on top of her.

"You're heavy," She groaned. Beneath him, her legs shifted apart to make room for his, the Angel's slender legs on either side of his body.

"It's your fault," He said, rolling his sore shoulders. "You pulled me." His weight shifted against her, the press of his limbs moving into a position that would allow him to get to his feet, if he had the energy to do so.

"Well, please remove yourself from me, I would like to return to the facility now. Someone will have heard that explosion and there's no doubt the police are on their way." She coughed, struggling for air beneath him.

"You know, Manning is going to be pretty pissed that we sneaked out and caused trouble." Red told her as he heaved himself to his feet, wobbling unsteadily for a second before finding his balance.

Sonya got to her feet, dusting grass and dirt off of herself. "The Mortal does not concern me. Besides, he doesn't need to know, I'll just tell him that my Grace found me. It's not like he knows anything at all, even though he seems to pretend like he does." Sonya said, gesturing for Hellboy to follow as she started her way back to the car.

"You only just met the guy and you can tell that already? Not that it isn't true." Red commented with a small chuckle.

"I'm good at reading people."

* * *

><p>Sonya's eyes, an icy, clear blue with a tint of green, followed the path of Manning's pen as it scrawled slanted, sloppy words across a piece of paper. There was something very different about her, Red had decided, something he had never seen before and he was interested, after all there wasn't much things he hadn't seen before.<p>

Manning was excited to have her around, a flesh and blood angel to consult on just about everything, and he had been questioning her on her Grace and scribbling down notes as she spoke. Fortunately, he hadn't found out that they sneaked out.

Her pale arms folded over black lace of the shirt they had given her. She was talking about something to do with the bureau now, Red wasn't listening, he didn't really give a damn. Sonya's slender fingers were tapping away at her arm, she was irritated.

Hellboy's named being called snapped him out of haze of boredom. "What?"

"We've been considering it and thinking and...Sonya's joining the team." Manning told him, a smile full of mockery and blunt dislike. "As your new liaison."

"As my..." He shook his head at the balding old man. "No." He turned to Sonya. "No offense, but I don't need a babysitter." He looked back to Manning. "I thought that after Myers and everything I wouldn't need another—"

"Come on, Red, this'll be good for you. And plus you can help Sonya get adjusted to working here."

"Manning, I swear—"

"Well, no time to discuss it right now, we've got a monster sighting down in the city to take care of."

"Fuck—"

* * *

><p>The night was pale and moon-drenched, the air crisp and fresh, a contrast to the stench of death on the inside of the building. The inside of the building was not well lit, and what little light shone through the window from the pale moon cast an eerie glow on everyone's cheeks, though hers was considerably more pallid. Shadows played tricks on their minds, figures seemingly lurking around every corner of the dilapidated building. According to the report, there were five hellhounds lurking around and they had already murdered three civilians.<p>

Not wasting any time, Hellboy, Abe and Sonya had begun their attack on the vicious creatures. Running past Sonya, Hellboy fired his gun into one of the snarling monsters. Hunting, Sonya had noticed, was natural for Hellboy, his eyes wild, and his skin stained with his blood and blackened blood of the monster that had sprayed out, dripped from the edge of his jaw. She watched for a moment when he leaped into action again; face set in a deadened frown. The hellhound went rigid as the bullets propelled through it and in a searing flash of unearthly light, it was gone.

Sonya closed her eyes and seeks a prayer before bursting into action. Brandishing the bloody knife in front of her, she drove it into one of them and then the other. The demonic animals screamed, shrieking vile tenors and contraltos as she smites it.

Before any of them had realized, they had exterminated all of the hellhounds. Doing a fairly quick once over of the building, they decided that the area was clean. Abe was already contacting BPRD, and Hellboy was starting to walk away from the building. Sonya narrowed her eyes at him and followed, she was given instructions to keep him in her sight.

"Why do you do this?" She asked, attempting to rope him into a conversation to stop him from walking away.

"Do what?" He asked without much interest.

"Save people, go against your nature like this." She knew it was slightly rude to ask but it was an odd thing for an angel to see, a demon hunting demons, it wasn't like she minded, she was genuinely curious.

"Against my nature?" Red questioned with a scoff. "Oh, right, right, you mean that I should be a monster, huh? That's all I am then? A monster."

"Never mind." Sonya said, ignoring the sharp look Hellboy shot her as she continued forward. Abruptly, Hellboy sped up his pace and turned off down the road.

Struggling to keep up with his fast pace, Sonya pursued him. "Wait! They said not to let you go anywhere but back to the facility."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He waved her away as he kept turning down different roads, seemingly desperate to get away from where they just were at every turn.

"Where are you going?" Sonya cried out.

Hellboy disregarded anything she had to say and continued down the empty alleyway before turning and sprinting away. She glared after him, aggravated, as she attempted to follow him. He was no where to be found. She spun around and tried to find him again with no success.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I had thrown this together quite quick because I've been busy and I had a bit of writer's block. I think it sucks but I wasn't sure where to go with this chapter but I know what I have planned for the next chapter and the rest of the story.**_


	4. Chapter 4

The clipping sound of her heels slapping against the tiles sent vibrations up her, already shaking, nerves. Her hair was soaked and clinging to the back of her neck, her leather jacket beaded with rain-droplets.

Upon hearing her approaching, Red turned around and lifted a hand in greeting, puffing on a cigar.

"Where did you go?" Sonya said, barely covered anger in her voice.

"I went to get more cigars and beer." He shrugged.

"And you left me there. To find my way back here. In the rain. At night. In a city I'm not familiar with." She growled at him, her jaw tightened in rage, punctuating each word carefully.

"Well, the important thing is you found your way back, right?" Hellboy smiled arrogantly.

"You will never do that again do you understand me?" Her tone was dangerously calm as she spoke.

"You may be my new 'nanny' but that doesn't mean I don't get to go off on my own every once in a while." He blew a puff of smoke in her direction, and she let out a frustrated cry that was somewhere between a hiss and a growl.

Hellboy knew that he shouldn't be intimidated by Sonya. She was only five foot five, a full foot and an inch shorter than he was, there was no doubt that he was more muscular, and he had a pair of broad shoulders. Yet, when she was backing him up against the wall, yelling at him and jabbing her finger harshly on his chest, he did nothing but stand there and take it.

"You will listen to me. The next time you directly disobey me like that, I will smite you. I have no intention of being disrespected."

"I—"

"This isn't up for discussion, Hellboy." She snapped, her eyes flashing murderously. "Now," She said, shaking her wet hair out of her eyes. "You will treat me respectfully and don't you dare blow that smoke in my direction again."

"Or maybe I could just treat you like a monster would, right?"

Sonya sighed. "That's what this is about?" He remained silent. "I'm just...not used to working with a demon is all. By nature, they should be my enemies. But I have to admit...you're different. And I know times have been difficult for you as of lately."

Hellboy's eyes narrowed. "'Scuse me?"

"I know about what happened your children and Elizabeth."

"Shut up."

"You know, I lost my entire family too."

His eyes softened slightly but he remained quiet, jaw clenched.

"My brothers and sisters now hunt me."

He realized that she meant her fellow angels and suppressed a groan. "That's different, that's not—"

"They were my siblings, my flesh and blood. And now I have to fight them, and my favorite brother, Michael, turned on me, threatened to kill me himself." Sonya seemed breathless, as if speaking about this was causing physical pain. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go take a shower and rid myself of this wet-animal rain stench. Remember my warning."

"Hell of an angel you are, threatening people," He sneered.

"Read the Bible, angels are warriors."

Silently, Red watched her turn around and leave. Under the cover of her shirt, he saw something twitch, something that looked soft, feathery. Her wings, he could bet, he wondered what angel wings looked like exactly. Shrugging it off, he laid back against his bed.

His room seemed inadequate. Too small, he thought while feeding his cats. There were no decorations, they had stowed away all of his records and everything else after he last quit. He remembered quite clearly the few months when he had left this place. Everything had gone south, Liz and Hellboy had visited the doctor—a doctor who Abe had told them specialized in supernatural pregnancies—and they had gotten the news that Liz had a miscarriage. Things went even worse after that; Liz wouldn't talk to him and as strong as she was, she started to lose control of her powers again. And then she had left him, without even so much as a note or an explanation why.

He needed to sever this thought process; he could feel that incessant and unwelcome bubble of sadness beginning to cloud his sanity again. He needed a distraction and a good one too. Hellboy stood up and headed toward the shower rooms. He only stopped when he heard the sound of a shower running in the female side. Sonya, he knew, maybe he could go sneak a peek at her wings, that would clear his mind.

"This is a bad idea." He muttered to himself as he went forward. He could readily admit it, and did, even though he was the originator of this plan. Walking quietly toward the showers, all Hellboy could think about was the plethora of ways this could blow up in his face.

The female shower rooms were more spacious than the male ones and he spotted the particular shower cubby in which Sonya preparing to shower, hiding behind the wall that extended out to hide most of the tiny room, Hellboy peeked around the corner, feeling the heat emanating from the large shower that lay in the back of the room. There was a mirror on the wall and a sink but he wasn't looking at any of that, his gaze was fixed on Sonya.

Sonya tugged the ponytail holder from her hair, smiling at the feeling of her heavy hair being released. She shifted forward to slip off her shoes and her shirt gaped wider, revealing the full curve of one breast; his mouth went dry and he knew that he should turn around and leave but he remained frozen.

Hellboy stood in the shadows, concealed by a wall and the steam from the shower room. Swallowing hard, he peered closer. He watched with rapt attention as she abandoned her clothes. She was shedding her layers, shirt, jeans, camisole, a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly. In a moment she was left only in a rosy bra and panties. He should have averted his eyes, he knew that, but felt powerless. His mind roared, reminding him that perhaps there was more to his gaze than clinical evaluation.

The bra came off first and then her underwear, pooling in a puddle around Sonya's pale, slim ankles, Red's eyes flickered back up. The luminescent skin on her back was tainted by plum colored, feathered, folded down wings. Her violet wings suddenly extended and she sighed as if unraveling them felt like she was stretching a sore muscle. His gaze shifted lower, her thighs were a creamy color, nearly flawless, except a scar on the inside of her right thigh. Her legs were muscular and his eyes moved higher, scanning over her tight stomach and coming to rest on her full breasts that were moving slightly with her breathing. Swallowing dryly again, his eyes continued upward to her neck and then her face.

Sonya's daintily touched the running water with her foot before sliding in, her hair slipping forward, creating a curtain of darkness around her. She let the water run over her and he watched with curious intensity as it beaded on her skin. The curve of her hips shifted as she allowed the water to drench her dark hair. Hellboy's breathing had turned heavy as the water soaked her naked body, rolling off her purple-colored wings and running down her breasts.

As if detecting his presence, her head pivoted around and he barely had enough time to duck back behind the wall. He faintly heard her voice calling out 'hello?' but he was darting away from the shower room, there was no way he was going to caught.

Hellboy decided he was the one that really did need a shower. A cold one. He moved silently toward the exit of the female shower rooms and exhaled loudly once he reached the male showers. As he undressed and stepped into the cold water, his mind was overtaken with images of Sonya in all of her nude glory.

Her eyes flickering closed when the water hit her, the stream cloaking most of her ivory body from his view, her mouth parting just slightly as she ran her fingers through her hair.

No. No. This was his new liaison, his annoying, too perfect, too strict new_ babysitter._

Hopping out of the shower, he toweled off and changed into a pair of pants and a skin hugging black shirt. The cold water had helped him a bit. But the next time he saw he had to express exactly how much he hated her, and that she had no place here, maybe then he could get some peace of mind from her. This would work, Hellboy could bet.

* * *

><p>Hellboy's eyes flickered to the doorway as Sonya came in the next morning, pushing cart with his breakfast on it. He could honestly say that he hadn't really planned what he would say to her; he was never any good at knowing what to say.<p>

Sonya was silent as she placed the cart in his room, her back turned to him, and Red eyed the back of her head, noting the strained muscles in her shoulders and the way her body curved beneath her clothes. Sonya was, easily, one of the most attractive girls he had the displeasure of knowing. She seemed almost untouchable in the way she held herself in public, yet she was wearing tight clothes that were definitely made to accent every delicious curve she had.

"Are you going to eat?" The angel asked him, thankful for the break from his thoughts as she turned to face him, he shrugged. The way she took deep breaths that strained the fabric across her breasts, he couldn't help but watch, especially after seeing her naked- he cut across the thought, he had to stop-he **had** to stop thinking about her.

He knew it would happen again. Another fight. Unavoidable because she continually insisted on being irritating. Although, Hellboy had found that he rather liked when she was mad. The way her blue eyes turned molten, the crack of a whip in her tone, and that made her all the more irritating.

"Why even bother showing up here at all?" He asked.

"What?"

"You clearly don't like me and don't really give a shit about this job so why even bother doing it?"

"Because staying in this place is safe for me, so why not do a job while I'm here." She offered.

"Go work for Abe then."

Her laughter made his face twist into a scowl. It was the sort of look most would cower from. "You know, Hellboy, want me to be afraid of you like everyone else is. And to take every threat you make seriously. And I won't." She paused, smiling at his anger. "It's why you like me."

"Like you?" The cigar he'd just inserted into his mouth fell out. "No, no, no, I do not like you. In fact, I hate you, you walk around here like you're better than everyone, you think you're so fucking clever-"

"I think we can both agree that I am _fucking _clever," She cut in, if she had anything against swearing, she didn't show it.

"And you talk like you have it all figured out. And then there's that arrogance-"

"You act like you can't be a little arrogant sometimes."

He ignored her. "And the way you think you can control me just because you have a thing against disrespect. Let me tell you something, buddy-"

"Stop. I understand fully what you're getting at." Sonya said, he expected her to more but she didn't, she turned around and left.

* * *

><p>Sonya was laying across her bed, sure she had been a bit harsh at Hellboy recently but he had it coming. Disobedience was a top crime up in heaven and he done just that. But then again, this wasn't heaven, she was on Earth now. And he had no idea how dangerous it was to go off on his own, without her there, the angels could get to him so easily, could finish the job she was supposed to do and use him to start the apocalypse.<p>

She knew that her brothers were getting closer to her, she could feel it in the air, in the buzzing atoms that gossip to each other in screams and hisses, warning of impending collapse of her tired soul. But with each breath she grew closer to acceptance, closer to the signature line of her already-voided contract. Her whole plan was a record scratching on a phonograph, needle nearly reaching the part right before the crescendo.

There was a knock on her open door, and she twisted to see who was there, inattentive, but pretending as if she was. Hellboy was standing there, looking stoic as ever.

"You got a minute?"

Her ebony tresses dangled in front of her eyes, as she sat up and gestured for him to come in. He had not moved, only stood regarding her from the doorway. For a fragment of time, her mind pieced together a recollection of their entwined, jagged path that he had no idea about.

Guilt pooled in the recesses of her mind, unnecessary and confusing, and she refused to poke at the idea that maybe once her brothers had dispatched her they could get to him. In some small, derelict way, she felt responsible for the grotesque way in which he would die if they did.

Some morbid curiosity etches itself into her face as she surveyed him, half hidden in a shadow, still silent. Of all her time spent watching him from up above, not knowing whether she could go through with using him, the most tiring part was after she'd actually met him, and then she knew that their time together was a stalled countdown leading to his arrival in the next world, a train taking what felt like forever to cross the horizon, to reach the station.

He broke the silence with a small breath, "Last time I saw you-"

"You had a rant about how much you despised me," She sighed, "Yes, and?"

"No, it's just," He growled through connected teeth.

"I already know that your temper can get out of control."

Letting the aggravating comment roll off, he began, "It's not that, it's...The other day I walked in on you...showering and-"

She blinked, she had not been expecting that. "You were spying on me?"

"No, I was trying to see your wings and after I saw them I planned to leave but—"

"So, you were watching me?"

"It's not a big deal, but—"

"You watched me, nude, in the shower and it's not a big deal?" She arched a brow, she knew she should've been furious at him for that but she couldn't bring herself to be. Sonya didn't know-couldn't identify-the feeling that swelled up in her chest and the sudden stain of red across her cheeks. "And how do you feel about me now?" she asked in a rush, desperate to free the words that had been lodged in her throat.

"I-" He went quiet again, and maybe she shouldn't be as satisfied as she was. There was a quiet smile on her lips when he looked away, knowing that she had some sort of affect on him.

"It didn't change anything."

It was a lie. Sonya could bet.


	5. Chapter 5

Things had, admittedly, eased up between Sonya and Hellboy over the past few days. A few missions that involved the two agents saving each other's asses seemed to clear things up a bit.

Knuckles rapped on her door, and Sonya looked up. So much papers lay strewn about her floor and she sat in the middle of it all, but she navigated it gracefully, dipping in and out of paper stacks as though she knew their weight and density by touch.

He found words rising to his lips without rhyme or reason. "You got a minute?"Hellboy asked, almost certain he's doomed himself once the words drip like venom from his tongue.

"Try to hurry, Red. I'm in the middle of sorting these papers, trying to find something, any signs that point to where my brothers are holed up," she replied, not looking up from her craft. Work-a-holic was too nice a term for the abuse she allowed, yet she never complained, never refused to commit, and it was her choice to get involved in this situation.

He, however, couldn't care less about her 'work'. His eyes picked up on the way her shoulders drooped and her eyes were reddened, and he nodded with earnest as he attempted to form syllables.

Hellboy's eyes fluttered shut, and he blurted suddenly,"Wanttogooutforcoffee?" He hated that the idea had come from when Myers had taken Liz out for a cup of coffee. Maybe if he had been that way to her, she would've stayed with him.

Hands freeze at the careful mulling of his words, the momentary loss of inhibition at what he had just said, and she looked up at him, speechless. For coffee? Guilt rose in her chest, was he asking her out on a date? There was so much he didn't know, so much she hadn't told him, and she doubted he would be asking her this question now if knew them. He had no idea that she had no intention of living through this battle, he didn't know that she had planned so cunningly for years how to kill him.

One piece of her yearned to say no to the words he so recklessly tossed in her direction, to tell him she didn't want to start something she couldn't finish. but the other piece of her, the one that pushed her forward with every ounce of ambition in her soul wanted to say yes, wanted to live a moderately human life before her inevitable death. Looking down, she breathed tentatively, slowly, as she responded, "I need to finish this."

Crestfallen over something he did not fully understand anyway, he turned to leave. "Yeah."

"But I suppose one cup won't kill too much time, I could use a distraction," She finished.

* * *

><p>She knew that she wasn't supposed to be out in the open like this, visible to the whole world in the city that never sleeps. There are a lot of things she wasn't supposed to do, but despite everything she's worth, she did regardless.<p>

The wind brushed a lock of hair across her face as she looked at him, a cup of coffee clutched in one hand. She had kept herself under lock and key for so long, restraining her wants because of what she was.

"Red," she breathed, though it was soft enough that it could be mistaken for a passing breeze.

He frowned, sipping the coffee and scrunched his nose at it's taste, wishing he had asked to go get a beer instead, "What?"

As she pushed the hair from her face, she realized that tonight was the first night in a long while she had felt relaxed, content, safe and she had no doubt in her mind it was due to the man standing in front of her. "I'm fine…but you're not," she observed, attempting a smile.

"What're you talking about?" He frowned.

"I don't think you like coffee," She grinned, teasing him.

"Nah, not really, Father was more of a coffee-drinker. I prefer—"

"Alcoholic beverages?" She completed, the teasing smile still on her face.

He managed a small chuckle, tossing the coffee into a nearby garbage bin. "Yeah."

"We could go get you a beer. If you want?" She shrugged.

* * *

><p>Hellboy bought them a 6-pack and they had found a park bench to sit on.<p>

"Why is it that color?" She asked in confusion when he handed her a bottle of beer and she had twisted it open. She sniffed it and wrinkled her noise. "I don't want to take one god-forsaken sip of that…" She shooked her head. "I'm not going to do it."

"Just do it, don't be such a baby."

With a a defeated groan, she picked up the bottle and swallowed a bit. One sip was all she managed before she pulled it away, grimacing at the taste. "This is vile," Sonya exclaimed, holding the bottle out at arms length as though it would disappear.

He laughed. "It's not that bad."

A perplexed look rises to her face, "I don't know why humans drink this so much." She pursed her lips briefly, "Then again, I've never drank anything but nectar and water before," She added thoughtfully.

A smile, scoffing lightly, graced his lips as he shook his head.

"What?" she asked, handing him the bottle.

Tongue pressed to his teeth, he shook his head. "You've never done a lot of human things have you?"

"Like what?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Drugs, Alcohol," Hellboy laughed. "Partying, sex."

"Yes, well, I wouldn't know anything about those," Sonya shifted uncomfortably, staring at a crack in the ground, praying that it would open up and swallow her whole. The collar of her shirt seemed to constrict around her throat and she tugged on it nervously, staying silent.

"What's wrong?"

She glared more intensely at the crack, trying to force it to spring open. It didn't. "I—" She started, focusing anywhere but him, "Angels are supposed to stay pure."

"What're you saying?"

"I mean that...I've never..." She swallowed. "Done...that..."

"I was only guessing but...You—you never?"

"No."

"But you've been around for a long time, right?"

"Yes."

"But—"

"No. Never."

Hesitant eyes ducked to her hands, folded in her lap, "We should probably start walking back now."

* * *

><p>She glanced at the door to his room, Sonya followed Hellboy in.<p>

Hellboy walked across the room and Sonya had sat down on his bed, watching him curiously. "What are you doing?" she asked in a too-quiet voice, hushed syllables catching his ear and twisting him around to face her.

Hellboy was in front of a mirror, preparing to file down his horns again, fingering the large stumps on his forward. Sonya slid off the bed and moved toward him.

"I wish that people could see past all of this," Hellboy murmured, gesturing to himself. "If I could change..."

"You don't have to," The words came out stronger than she thought they would but she meant them. Sonya bit down on her lower lip, hesitant eyes ducking to his chest rather than meeting his eyes. "You're..." She felt heat stain her cheeks as the words left her lips.

There a climbing sense of some feeling that he could not discern rising in his belly. She felt his warm fingers trap her chin gently in his grasp. Slowly, she raised her face up and met his eyes. Thoughtlessly, she leaned up and kissed him, the press of her soft lips to his harder ones. But she felt her stomach do a flip when he didn't kiss her back, he just froze.

Sonya recoiled, backing away from him. "I'm so sorry, I'm gonna go." She spluttered, the heel of her boot hit against a discarded beer can and slipped. She tumbled harshly onto the ground and nearly hit her head on the floor surface. Her nails scrabbled over the rough texture; she drew herself up on shaking arms. Hellboy started to move forward to help her but she stood up quickly, and turned away from him, utterly embarrassed. Her hand flung out, finding the door knob and she yanked open the door. "I'm sorry. I'm so stupid." She cursed herself as she went to leave. Of course, he didn't want her, who would want a fallen angel when you used to have someone like Liz? And why did she think he would kiss her back? He didn't even like her.

"Hey, hey, look," Red shook his head, suddenly beside her, shutting the door. "Don't be sorry."

"No, no, it's—" Her addled mind scrambled for something to say but found nothing. "It's my fault, I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to apologize." It was said nonchalantly but Red wrapped his fingers around Sonya's wrist and effectively paused her scrabbling to find the doorknob again.

She drew in slow, steady breaths, trying to calm herself before realizing that he was watching her. "What?" She asked, meeting his gaze.

She realized, belatedly, what he was doing as he bent his head down and his lips met hers. She melted into the kiss, her hands steadying herself by clinging to his shoulders. His arms went around her and he crushed her against his broad chest.

Hellboy's lips on hers was unlike anything she'd ever felt before; she felt the need to be close to him, she wanted to be closer to him than physically possible. The need was driving as her lips pressed against his harder.

Sonya reached her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, refusing the possibility of air. She clung to him—as if she let go enough, he would slip away. One of his hands slipped down her back and held her there, she could feel every one of his fingers pressing into her skin, the same sense of passion and guilt flowing through him as it did whenever he looked at her.

One of Sonya's hands came to Red's face and held it gently, her lips moving in harmony with his. Was it not sinful for an angel to feel such pleasure? She cursed herself, but god help her she could not think straight and that she was thankful for.

It was a long, heavy, kiss sealed by her breathless lungs and audible heart pulses and by her warm hips resting on his waist.

Too soon it was over and she pulled away from him and bit. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, "I should get back to my room now."

"Goodnight, Agent Sonya." He smirked.

"Goodnight, Agent Hellboy."


	6. Chapter 6

Hellboy rubbed his hand across his face, trying to rub away the remnants of sleep that lingered from his failed attempt to fall asleep for more than fifteen minutes. It was one in the morning. Sleep had been coming less and less lately. He shuffled out of the large metal door to his room and down the hall to the study. He liked to sit there when he was feeling troubled and imagine what father would say.

But as he entered the study, there was someone else in there. It was Sonya sitting on the floor, a book settled in her hands.

When she heard him come in, she looked up and just gawked at him with a painful, uncomfortable stare. What was that, fear in her eyes? Nervousness?

"Oh." she finally spoke, the single word ushered out breathlessly.

"Hello to you, too," he responded dismissively, walking forward and squinting at the book in her hands, which she slapped closed.

She smiled weakly at him. "Hey," She rubbed at the back of her neck, a nervous habit she'd picked up in her time here on Earth.

"What, you don't sleep any more?" Red threw himself down into a chair.

She frowned, her teeth digging into the soft flesh of her lower lip, and she got to her feet, attempting to draw in air that escaped her lungs a second later. After a moment, she looked away, and she felt an unfamiliar sense of shame swept through her skin, burning red. "My thoughts are relentless, I couldn't sleep," she answered, and for a moment it felt as though nothing had changed, as though they could continue this conversation without ever feeling that awkward tension, but her eyes fall to her hands and she sighed.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Almost as if she hoped something was wrong so he didn't question her behavior.

Hands clasped between his knees, as he slumped forward in the chair and stared at them in thought.

As soon as he turned to her, the look on her face was ashamed,a shame he could not quite place, nor could she.

"You're avoiding me."

When she opened her mouth to disagree, but he waved her off. "You are. I don't know what I did, Sonya, I don't."

A violent shiver racked her body and she suddenly acknowledged that she was wearing nothing but a thin tank top and shorts. She wrapped her arms around her torso self-consciously and shook her head.

He stood suddenly and all at once he was in front of to her, his hands grabbing hers to stop the awkward movements of them against her upper body, and she caught his eye for a brief second of uncertainty.

"Come on," he urged her, letting go of her. Her head turned, eyes on the floor. "I can wait all night."

How close he was standing to her was suddenly real to her, his presence taking up her entire mind, and she deflated where she stood, her shoulders squaring, wishing she could be transparent, a breeze.

"I, uh..." She began. To be honest, the kiss had plagued her for days. Had she ever kissed anyone before this? Perhaps eons ago, a time she couldn't remember. Had she ever loved someone? The concept was familiar to her, after all she did love her brothers and sisters didn't she? But Sonya couldn't recall ever being in love.

Sonya's thought process only served to distract her for fifteen seconds or so, before reality clawed its way back in.

With a dejected breath, she looked at him again. An unwelcome bubble of emotion forming in her throat when she met his eyes. "I'm sorry for avoiding you," Honestly, she had hoped that avoiding him would ease things over, like water beating at rocks in a river bank for days and days until they smoothed over. Her mind began to work frantically, trying to spin random words into a web of a well-collected thought. "Are things...okay between us?"

"What?" He was confused. Did she think he was angry about the kiss?

In her effort for words to explain her feelings, she was met with the peculiar sensation of being engulfed. It was something that in thousands upon thousands of years, she didn't feel too often. "I mean, that kiss...how do you feel...about that?" Each word separated by an awkward breath.

"I kissed you back, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but-" She stopped short. What he said was true, so why was she so unsure of how to continue forward from that kiss. Would things return to normal, just friends? Colleagues? Or something more?

So, she did the only thing she could think of. This was her opportunity to get a taste of him again; that forbidden feeling that rose within her when she had kissed him before.

Suddenly, her hesitant, lush lips brushed over his own, a phantom of a kiss. She pulled away, her hair tumbling over her shoulders and she pinned him with the heat emanating from her gaze.

His eyes were burning, focused on the pink skin of Sonya's mouth. Her kiss was timid but it was enough for him. Weaving his fingers into the comforting weight of her tresses, he leaned forward and slid his lips over hers, a soft kiss.

All doubts evaporated, Sonya pitched forward—her desperate fingers grasping his shirt, mouth pressed hotly to his. His eager hands clutching at her sides.

Slowly, unwillingly, she pulled out of the kiss.

She stayed in the circle of his arms, her hands clasped to the blades of his shoulders, fingers clinging through the soft fabric of his shirt. His mouth had landed on the bare crook of her neck, the ticklish hollow beneath the curve of her jaw. And the feeling seemed to set her skin on fire. He drew in a breath against her skin and she shivered for a moment against the graze of teeth and breath, pressing close before pulling away.

Although things were solved with him for now. She feared that sleep would not come to her for a while.

* * *

><p>Supporting herself on her elbows, Sonya leaned her head back, exposing her neck to the warm mid-day sun. She had escaped—well, escape implies that it actually called for her to use effort, though it did not—the facility and found her way to a small park not far down the road.<p>

Her nose was wrinkled in distaste as she saw a black car pull up along with road; this was most likely Manning, telling her to come back to the bureau right away.

Sonya craned her neck to view the car before her more fully. She was wrong, it was Hellboy and Abe. She sat up and frowned. "I wasn't aware that either of you knew how to drive a car."

"Are you kidding me?" Hellboy chuckled. "Who doesn't?"

"Well..." She blushed.

"I'm only teasing," He said, swooped down, and touched her lips with his. She was startled at first by the gesture of affection but returned the light pressure.

She smiled at Abe and then turned to Red and asked, "So, what are you guys doing here?"

Red's mouth pulled up on one side, arranging his features into a joking-smile of an expression. "We only came to see you."

She rolled her eyes at his remark, "Like I'm supposed to believe you." She turned her attention to Abe. "Why did you really come here?"

Abe's cheerful expression faltered.

Already alert, her expression tightened with vigilance and apprehension as she sat up fully and replied with a well-versed, "What is it? What's wrong?" Even with everything between her and Hellboy, and all of the other sidetracking missions, she had not lost sight of what her mission truly was.**  
><strong>

"Manning thinks they may have found an angel."

"What? Here? In New Jersey?" She leaped to her feet.

He nodded solemnly.

"Then we have to go now, I can assure you that within a few hours that the angel will have left."

"That's precisely why we came to get you," Abe said, gesturing with his webbed hands toward the car.

Without hesitation, she ran forward to the car and hopped in.

* * *

><p>Sonya knew what this would entail. She would have to kill a fellow angel, it was something she had anticipated but still, that was different than really coming face to face with reality. She purposefully took forever to scope the place out, checking and then re-checking all of the entrances to the small brick building.<p>

Coming face to face with this reality, she could hardly believe that there was once a part of her life that seemed almost innocent, no power plays to consider. A time when she and her brother Isaac had thought the world was nothing but a treat to be sampled and enjoyed.

Hellboy and Abe were right behind her but she wished that they weren't, she didn't want them to get involved in her mess. For a moment, she wished that maybe there wasn't an angel here, that maybe the bureau had been mistaken. But as she neared one of the rooms she felt her Grace give a sudden shudder, something that it would always do in the presence of another angel.

Reality set in and panic began to rise, all thoughts about this being a false lead faded. _"An angel is here." _A hissed whisper, not daring to speak too loud for fear that it will conjure one of the angels who haunt her sleep. She turned to the others and sighed, "You two should wait here. I'll call for you if I need help."

Reluctantly, they both agreed. Sonya quickly thanked them and entered the room. The lights were dull and there was furniture scattered around.

An unwelcome hesitation gripped her and she faltered before taking another step forward. Sonya's heart was racing as she edged deeper into the room, her knife, lined with runes that would allow you to kill an angel, was drawn. She squeezed the handle tightly, preparing. Her empty left hand slipped along the wall, the slick bricks beneath her warm skin. The angel found herself reeling at the possibility of interaction, chest wracked with pins and needles, she didn't want to kill her brethren, but they didn't give her much choice.

As she went to take another step, someone struck out at her. Dodging the blow, she looked up. It was her sister, Ambriel, armed with a knife very much like Sonya's. Ambriel was always the softer of the two, the more restrained, and seeing the flourish with which the red-head angel circled Sonya, she was suddenly reminded of the fact that she hardly knew these angels anymore.

"Please, sister, don't do this," Sonya pleaded. "Join my cause, you know what the angels are doing is not right."

"Join your cause?" She sneered. "I'm not a traitor like you."

"Please, Ambriel, I will kill you if I must."

Ambriel swung at Sonya with one hand, the knuckles that would most likely break Sonya's nose if they met their target. She leaped to the side, and the other angel's hand grazed her cheek, Ambriel fell as Sonya moved out of the way. She took advantage of the unusual position of her fall to swing her foot out and clip her winged attacker in the chest.

Sonya could tell by the blow that she just bruised her, judging by the low whimper that Ambriel emitted as she clutched at her chest. She delivered another harsh kick to the angel's side.

The copper-haired angel leaped to her feet and threw a staggering right hook that connected, snapping Sonya's head back with the force of the blow. She spat out blood and then lunged at Ambriel sending a knee into her gut. The other angel stumbled back from the force but still stood.

Her enemy took another swing but Sonya dodged and threw a punch right back; Ambriel sidestepped the blow and elbowed her in the nose. Holding her nose and staggering backward, gave Ambriel the chance to advance on her, the knife held in one hand. She slashed the knife forward and it sliced Sonya's side, a bit of her Grace oozed out, before she could leap back.

She groaned in pain, but before the angel could strike again she reached out, grabbed her and whammed her head into Ambriel's with a painful smack. Blinking away stars, Sonya watched as Ambriel shook off the attack and bounded forward.

****They lunged at the same time, but Sonya dived out of the way. She landed on her shoulder, then rolled. Always the quicker one of the two, Sonya was on one knee in milliseconds, launching her knife at the other angel. The knife buried itself to the hilt within Ambriel's chest. And in an explosion of unearthly light, she was dead.

* * *

><p>Hellboy glanced over at Sonya again and clenched his jaw. They were in the truck that the BPRD had picked them up in and she was just looking out of the window the whole time. The sun was hitting her face at just the right angle to obscure the angel's eyes, but it wasn't hard to tell she was crying. Hellboy could easily recognize the signs, her bottom lip tucked into her mouth, the sound of her ragged breathing.<p>

"Hey, look, you can't save everyone," Hellboy told her, regretting the words after they past through his lips. And he risked a glance up at Sonya, hoping to see-what? A sign that she understood? But no. Sonya didn't look at him, she inched closer to the window, her back stiffening. "You knew what you were signing up for," He spoke these words with a gentleness that made her shift a bit.

More fettered tears spilled over as she turned to him. "She was my sister," she said, finally able to look him in the eye. "I felt her pulse fade beneath my fingertips. I never imagined how that would feel to me, the things I've rendered for this,_"_ she emphasized the final word, breath hitching in her throat.

"I know," He said, resolve failing him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I'm so so sorry that I haven't updated this in a long time, I've just been very busy lately :) But here's the new chapter and the next update should come fairly soon.**_


	7. Chapter 7

Silently, Sonya entered Hellboy's room, wheeling the cart of food as usual.

"Hey," Hellboy smiled broadly as he hopped off of the bed and went over to her. She shifted uncomfortably on the balls of her feet, before she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, a human gesture that she didn't understand but she was beginning to.

He stabbed a fork into a few pancakes and began to eat.

"Has Manning found anymore leads?" Genuinely hoping that he did not find anything.

He shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know," he admitted.

From outside of the open heavy metal door to his room, he heard the balding man call out her name, "Sonya!"

She turned her head in his direction. "Yes?"

"You've got the day off today," Manning said.

The day off? Hellboy's mind could hardly comprehend the words. Never had he heard Manning give someone the day off, but he knew that Manning actually had grown to like Sonya, and after all, she had just lost her sister.

"Thank you," She smiled softly and he nodded and turned away.

Hellboy frowned. "You know, he's never offered me the day off."

"That's because you're not as easy to get along with as I am, Red," She teased.

"Ooh, sarcasm, that's a new one."

"Who says I was being sarcastic?" She nudged him with her elbow before moving past him and plopping down on the bed. She rubbed her hands together. "Hey, can we...uh, go out some place?"

"Out...? Out where?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, anywhere, I hate being cooped up in here when I should be out there on the Earth." _In what little time I have left._

"There's not many places I can go without being seen..." He murmured, "But there is one place I can think of."

* * *

><p>The drive to wherever he was taking her wasn't very long. And they arrived there in a little under an hour. She yearned for the air beyond the windows of the car, and as she stepped outside she turned to see his face.<p>

"What is this place?"

"Some abandoned factory place," He shrugged, "We're only here for the rooftop."

They went into the building and climbed sets of stairs until eventually reaching the rooftop. Hellboy pushed open the small square door and emerged onto the roof, pulling Sonya with him.

Gold, as far as the eye could see. The trees in the distance lay in tall, dry, golden and red leaves falling, and were carried softly in the breeze. And the sky was like an oil painting, all cream and gold and deep purple, the sun a bloody red disk on the horizon.

A gentle breath of air rose and greeted her face as she stepped out further. Sonya felt light and tranquil, like a falling feather defying laws for a moment. Hellboy nudged her arm and she looked up at him, "What d'you think?"

"It's amazing, how do you know about this place?" She questioned.

"Father took me here once when I was younger."

"I wish that I could've had experiences like that," Sonya sighed. "But I never had a childhood or anything like that, Angels are warriors, we're not supposed to have leisure time."

"Well, now you have this memory," Red smirked.

"I'm glad."

Red reached out and drew her to him. Peace of mind—sometimes it felt as if the idea was a burden, but with Hellboy it seemed like it was no trouble at all. Her muscles slowly unknotted, her headache spawned from frustration beginning to fade as he merely put an arm her shoulders. She looked up at him with a smile, and he caught hold of a strand of her hair and tucked the strand behind her ear.

"I would like more memories like this if you don't mind," She beamed.

"Yeah." He smiled and her heart lurched.

"I have to admit that I'm jealous that you have more memories than I do."

"You're jealous?" He looked amused now.

"Of you? Always."

* * *

><p>A hand shook Hellboy's bed; his head burrowed into the pillow, torso rising and falling. He roused, reluctantly at first but he sat up fully and gazed blearily into the the dark. He rubbed eyes, and though he tried to, he failed to stifle a yawn. Sonya was standing by his bed with wide-eyes and her dark hair mussed by sleep, clad in a black tank top and short pajama shorts.<p>

"How did you get in here?" He asked, peaking around her and seeing the door pushed open. "The door was locked."

"Well, I forced it open." She mumbled.

His hand reached out in the dark and moved down her arm, just to confirm it was her and she really there. "You okay?"

"Can I sleep over here?" She mumbled. "I just...can't seem to sleep in my bed anymore."

He hesitated a moment. "I...uh..."

She crossed the small space and climbed onto his bed, her heart pounding, an electrical thrill flickering in her muscles. She sat on the edge of his bed for a moment. He shifted over without saying a word, lifting the sheets to let her in. From there they came together like a zipper: she pressed against his body and he wrapped an around around her. He soon found himself being draped upon as she cuddled in closer to his warmth. Nuzzling his chest as her dark hair tickled his chin.

Slowly, she allowed sleep to consume her.

As she fell asleep, she was jolted into Michael's presence. Her ever-perfect older brother looking down at her. Poetic prayers murmured in her head, she started to back away from him.

"Relax, sister, this is a dream," Michael smirked. "Apparently, you've taken to etching echnocian sigils into yourself to hide from me but I'm getting closer."

"What do you want, Michael?" She asked, stepping backward

"This is your big plan?" Michael shook his head sadly. "Side with the demon and the humans." He clucked his tongue. "It is truly pathetic."

"Do you have suggestions?" She asked sarcastically.

"You know I don't," He quipped. "You've been a hindrance to me, the other angels are starting to question me too, and you killed one of my lieutenants, Ambriel."

"You know the difference between wrong and right, Michael. Think of what Father would want."

"Look how far you've fallen."

"This is our only chance."

"You're going to lose this battle. I'm warning you now, if we ever talk again. That breath will be your last."

She stared at the ground as though it might open up and provide her with an answer. She had been through conversations similar to this one a thousand times, but it's the first time he had ever actually stated that he going to kill her. Gathering herself, she looked at him, pleading. "It's not too late for you to do the right thing."

Incredulous, he stared at her, retorting, "Always the one who tried to smooth things over, Sonya," Nothing was settled, nothing was calm, and he looked away from her, letting out a breath. "I am truly going to miss that about you when the time comes."

A flash of light and then she awoke, the sheets ruffled up around her as she sat up, effectively waking up Hellboy as she did so.

Hands buried in her hair, she trained her gaze to the floor, a wave of nausea sweeping over her.

"Hey, hey, you're okay...you were just sleeping," Came Hellboy's voice, a warm hand resting on her back.

"He's going to kill me...and you."

"Sonya..." This sort of discussion was uncomfortable for him, he was never the type to reconcile and clearly he done such a bang-up job of it last time she was upset. But when Liz would have her nightmares and set things on fire, he was the only one who could calm her. "Look at me."

She couldn't, guilt rising fast within her. This was all her fault.

"It's only a dream." Desperation and concern infused his words. She knew she should turn her head, let him comfort her and make her feel better. "You're safe."

Rigid and alert, eyes still focused on the flooring, she spoke stiffly. "I only feel safe when I'm with you…"

"I'm right here," A hand grabbed hers.

The lump in her throat started to subside, but it cut off any further words she would aim at the floor, and her eyes flickered, faltered. Slowly, she turned to him, let out a choked sigh and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry."


	8. Chapter 8

Sonya awoke with a start. She could have sworn up and down that someone had been calling her name but shed glanced beside her and saw that Hellboy was still asleep.

Then there it was again, _Sonya_. She narrowed her eyes as she strained to see through the dark. Could it be the sign she had been longing for all of this time?

Her wings, folded under her tank up, felt grounded in the itch of fabric. But the idea that God might whisper to her sometime, and give her advice was crazed but still, she hoped. For angels, god was meant to be found in every gesture. She had a difficult time convincing herself of the gravity of this; but in any case, maybe she wasn't imagining his presence.

Sonya drummed her fingers against the bed before clasping them together tightly and she rested her forehead against her hands. The tank top had begun to itch even more so, the room felt cramped. And she found that sitting here was doing little to allay her hunger and seemed to aggravate her thirst; the stagnant air hanging around her. But here she sat, gazing at the darkness.

Although, she was not sitting idle, she was waiting—waiting for something she could not be certain was real—which meant the time must be occupied somehow. And she found herself remembering when she and Isaac would sit up in heaven and observe the humans down below. They had been laughing; her cheeks flushed a coral pink. She had been happy; she breathed, insistently slow.

The incessant ticking of the clock served as her only measure of time. Her lips were parted, ready to speak when the time came. Of all her time spent fighting, or running, or observing, the most tiring part was the waiting, the stalled countdown leading to something, a ship taking what felt like forever to cross the horizon, to reach its destination. Yet she would wait.

"Sonya…"

The air lifted: the wait was done. Was this voice in her head? The voice had became needling pinprick chewing through her temples and making it way into her head, coaxing her violently from her reverie.

The room spun, walls become ceilings and floors become walls, the noise of the clock stifled by the deadened haze she had been sucked into. She stared ahead, not seeing the image before her in person but in her mind's eye. Appearing out of thin air before her, there was an image of a building—not very tall, stone—and it's surroundings, a forest, a river, and a sign. A sign written in Enochian—her mind translated it—_the place where death and life align._

* * *

><p>She had nearly everyone at the bureau researching this place where Michael could be holed up because despite the fact Sonya hated the idea of harming another angel, she was just as determined as ever. She even had Hellboy helping her, usually this wasn't his sort of thing but she had pleaded with him. He could fight demons and monsters and things of that sort, but how the hell was he meant to resist that? And right now, Sonya, bright blue-eyes studying a book, dark hair tumbling over her shoulders in thick waves, a short-but-not-too-short blue dress with a black cardigan thrown over it that accented her perfectly, she was just so. fucking. irresistible and Hellboy could almost cry.<p>

"Are you even listening to me?" Sonya questioned, tilting her head to the side to study him.

"Sorry," he blurted. "I just–you look really hot."

"It is actually a bit warm in here," She shrugged, pulling off the cardigan to reveal the short-sleeved light blue form-fitting torso of the dress that lay beneath.

_That's not what I meant_, He opened his mouth to say but he left it unsaid.

"So, right, uh, I think it would be best if we found some Enochian books and..." Sonya went on, but as she leaned forward to point to something in the book her dress torso opened just the slightest to show one lacy black bra strap and he was distracted again. Hellboy wished his libido would calm the hell down.

He stared at the angel sitting in front of him, all wide-eyed and innocent and harmless. And it was no wonder that he wasn't concentrating.

Sonya shook her head at him, "I'm boring you, aren't I?"

He suppressed a blush at the fact that he hadn't been putting on a good enough poker-face to fool her. "Nah, it's just...been a long day."

"Well, we can stop for now, I don't think we're going to be going there anytime soon though," She shrugged, kicking the book away, off the bed. "So, what do you want to do now?"

_Jesus Christ_. She was practically _inviting_ him to make a move that he didn't want to think about at the moment for fear of giving himself away furthermore. Hellboy's willpower was just about to give out.

He could not deal with the way she was smiling at him, and when she sighed, her breasts heaved upward. It wasn't even Hellboy's fault. He hadn't gotten any since Liz left and that would be moderately okay if he didn't have Sonya constantly batting her eye-lashes all innocently at him.

"Red? You okay?" Sonya's hand was on his thigh now, trying to get him to say something, and it was all Red could do not to do something incredibly stupid then and there. And thoughts and images rose into his mind—thoughts that he wouldn't have let himself think about if it were broad daylight.

He shut his eyes briefly, and shrugged, hoping that would give him a bit more strength. He re-opened his eyes, smiling reassuringly. "Yeah, of course."

And then she moved, actually, physically patted his leg in a gesture of—what he could assume was—belief in his words. Or she could be torturing him, pressing her warm hand to his thigh and making him want to die.

"So, we'll finish all of that work up tomorrow, 'kay?" She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his forehead, she pulled back slowly, boring holes into his head with her eyes and he was desperately trying to fight off an oncoming erection.

And then she kissed him, and he sent a silent thanks to whatever god was listening. Intoxicated by the whispering graze of her mouth against his own. He lost all control, kissing her fiercely, shocking Sonya but she kissed him back. His hands traveled upward to tangle in her dark tresses, tugging her closer. Sonya grasped the nape of his neck; the kiss was so feral and needy that he actually considered that she had intentionally planned this all. And soon Sonya found herself laid back against the bed, her warm hands pawing at his shirt. Hellboy's lips moved from her mouth to her jaw, small nips against her skin. She threw her head back, and exposed her neck where her blood beat and pulsed wildly.

A velvety moan escaped her parted lips as his mouth found her neck and kissed at her pulse. Barely scraping his teeth across her skin, Red watched, fascinated, as her back arched and a moan greeted his ears. Hellboy knew he had just crossed a line, he wasn't really sure where this was going. But there was no way that Sonya was going to let him go away further. No way in hell. Assuming that he was right, he pulled away from her only to be stopped.

Sonya had pulled him back with a tug, and she pulled his shirt off. Running her fingers down his chest, she tugged at his belt.

"What're you—"

But she leaned in and kissed him, cutting off the rest of his words before they left his lips. Taking advantage of his clear surprise, she pushed him down against the bed and climbed on top of him.

Electricity shot through him as the thin fabric between her legs rubbed against his pants. Sonya's delicate hands slide down his exposed sides to the top of his pants, and undo the button and zipper at the front. He felt lightheaded.

"Wait, are we...?"

She smiled coyly at him, biting upon her lower lip, a look that he had never seen her make before, but it certainly suited her.

His fingers made short work of the ties to the dress. It was just a barrier, a teasing piece of fabric to hide the soft skin beneath from view. She felt the rush of his hands brushing her thighs, a current ran through her and she moaned. He rolled over, pushing her beneath him.

Finally, any article of clothing hindering her body from his view were gone. She watched his face carefully as his eyes roamed over, trying to gauge out his reaction. He was staring at her with a mixture of desire and sheer adoration.

And then one by one, pieces of his clothing fell to the floor. Sonya took a few stolen seconds to let her eyes wander over his naked skin. The contrast of his red skin against her pale hue, the taut muscles beneath his skin. Now, she could feel his hipbones digging gently into her skin and goosebumps dotted her skin. Her mind was a foggy mix of desire and adrenaline.

He didn't ask her if she was sure. Both of them knew that there was no need. He clearly saw her response to the unspoken question in her eyes. And to ask it, it would be a waste of breath.

Ever so gently—and it was all he could do to be gentle—he slid into her. She hissed at the sudden pain, and tried not to think about it. She closed her eyes to block out Hellboy's gaze, but that just made it worse because now she could feel everything so much clearer, but it wasn't a long time before the pain faded and it was replaced. The pleasure sharp and deep and new.

She drew her fingers down his chest and to his waist, nails biting into the flesh there in an effort to draw him closer. His head fell to her shoulder, his eyes closed. He had been touched like that before, so he couldnlt understand his reaction. In an afterthought, he realized that Sonya never touched him like that.

He began to build a rhythm and she rocked against him and rolled her hips in response to the moves he made. Her legs constricted around his hips, she locked her heels together and arched her back as he began to kiss down her neck.

Poised over her with the angel's slender legs wrapped around his waist while he kissed down the front of her, Hellboy was glad that he was the one responsible for the look of pleasure on her face. Sonya, now unconcerned with the pitch of her moans, and positively writhed on the blue sheets.

And now—well—now her moans were starting to get to him. Each one, breathless and ripe with passion. Each time he would move within her, she'd let loose one of those spine tingling mewls. Coupled with the lovely, honeyed glow of the dimmed lighting, she looked positively delicious. Each sweet curve accented by the contrast of shadows and light, like a battle between the two raged across her ivory skin.

The demon couldn't help but reciprocate an appreciative hum in the back of his throat as she moaned again. She sank deeper into the mattress, pressing her fingertips into his back. Sonya felt everything consuming her; the jolt of desire crept through her whole body. His hands wandered along her torso, discovering every forbidden crevice. And she could feel each muscle, each vein, tightening, and pulsing.

Each thrust into her was a new claim; each spasm of her muscles a chord of surrender. As his pleasure reached it's peak, Hellboy growled against her neck and Sonya—having her own release—shivered and panted his name, melodic voice thick with pleasure.

Her trembling ceased, her breathing steadily evened out. She shuddered when an aftershock flowed through her as he pulled out. They were silent for a while as he rolled off of her and she had collapsed onto his massive red chest, trying to get her breath back.

Sonya was accustomed to a life devoid of feeling and vigor. And in an way, she had loved Hellboy right when she met him, as a child loves a new plaything or pet. But now, it was a different love.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone :) So I threw this one together pretty fast but I haven't been able to update due to work, school and that kinda thing. Reviews please :)_**


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Oh jeez, I'm so sorry for not updating frequently there's just a lot going on in my personal life right now. And thank you for the reviews, guys :D_**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>It had awoken her.

Sonya had been sleeping peacefully on Hellboy's chest, her wings spread out across the sheets.

"_It_" was a repetitive knocking sound originating from the large metal door to Hellboy's room. She had been startled awake, unsure if the sound was real or simply the lingering remnants of a particularly vivid nightmare.

She had just about rationalized it to herself as nothing more than a figment of her subconscious when the tapping came again. Testing her full weight on her legs and finding they didn't crumple beneath her, she stumbled out of bed and slipped Red's shirt—which went down to about her thighs—to cover her nude form.

Jerking open the door, she found herself face to face with a woman with black hair. Smiling, Sonya leaned her hip against the door-frame. "Hi, may I help you?"

"Hello," The woman was eyeing the long black shirt that was over Sonya's frame, but put on a small smile anyway. "I was looking for Hellboy, does he still live here?"

"Uh," Sonya blinked. "Yeah, who's asking?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, my name's Liz, Liz Sherman."

Sonya's mouth parted, but before she could speak up, she heard a shuffle of footsteps behind her then Hellboy's voice.

"Liz?"

"Hey, Red."

* * *

><p>The air had gone still with silence as he and Liz sat at a table in one of the meeting rooms.<p>

On the other side of the table, Hellboy's fingers drum a careful rhythm against cold glass table-top. For all his futile efforts, he still held some semblance of hope that this was simply a dream, that he was still sleeping peacefully next to Sonya, but he knew that this was real. He lifted his wary gaze to Liz.

Her eyes caught his, a flutter of her eyelids clearly stating how awkward she felt. A tensing of his lips was all he could give her in return.

"HB..." She mumbled nervously, she tilted her head to the side, eyes focused on the floor.

"What're you doing here?" He asked, but she remained fixed in her spot as though he was a complete stranger rousing her from unconsciousness.

After a moment or two, she spoke. "You once said that...you'd never give up on me. Ever."

He knew that was true. And in a way, he never would. The black collar of his shirt suddenly tightening around his neck, choking him, as his teeth worried the flesh of his bottom lip. Did Liz being back change how he felt for Sonya? No, but it certainly gave him something to think about.

He chastised himself internally; he couldn't choose between them, that was ridiculous. Liz had always been there, hadn't she? They grew up together, she was his first real love, the choice should obviously be her. But then again, there was Sonya.

His mind was whirling, a cacophony of furious scarlet and sinister indigo. He had fallen for Sonya, that much was true but why should it come between him and Liz. Why Sonya?

"Liz, I can't...drop everything for you." As soon as he said it, he knew that it was a lie. He would drop everything—and had—for Liz. "I mean...I'm with Sonya now and I...just—" He rubbed a hand over his face, trying find something to say.

Silence settled in again, and finally Liz breathed out, "I'm not…asking you to take me back, Red. I'm trying to earn your forgiveness," She said in a tone that told him she was being sincere.

Hearing her say these things made this all so much more real, his brain pounded against his skull painfully. He stared at the ground to avoid her gaze. The two had last seen each other a little under a year ago when she had up and left after the miscarriage, so it was no surprise he felt awkward in her presence.

She was observing him now with her ever-watchful eyes that calculate and scrutinize each breath. "Look, I...don't want to go each day knowing that you're mad at me." She drew in a breath and shut her eyes, shaking her head. "You've obviously got something going here, and I'm not trying to interrupt that, I just need to know that things are going to be okay between us."

"Liz," He began, eyes searching ever-vigilantly for a sign of fault or repentance, a sign that reminds her of why he is here in the first place. "I'm sorry."

"W—what? For what?"

"For not going after you." He said to her shoes instead of her face, as if while convincing both her and himself of the meaning behind the apology, he was incapable of addressing her knowing eyes.

Heaving a sigh, she shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I'm the one that should be sorry for leaving you when you needed me." She wished she could get rid of the feeling of loss and dread that hung over their heads, but it was intangible, an disembodied mass that weighed heavy and caused the act of drawing in a breath incredibly difficult.

"I think I should go," she told him, the decision of a judge, jury, and executioner. "It's probably—"

"No," He interrupted. "No, Liz, you don't have to go." Hellboy met her gaze and lifted his shoulders just a little. "I forgive you."

The words could have been silent and she still would have felt their meaning, she felt as if he'd pulled her back into the boat she'd tumbled out of, desperate for dry warmth to shake away the icy shock of frigid waters. These words were equivalent to extending an olive branch.

"Thank you."

Rubbing his hands along his knees, he turned toward her with a small smile**. **"Any time."

* * *

><p>Sonya had been pacing back and forth for the last fifteen or so minutes, gnawing at her bottom lip nervously. Hands over her eyes, she could only hear the ticking of the clock in the hallway and the muffled speech from behind the door. She heard footsteps coming her way, and her hands fell away from her eyes and she backed up a few steps to allow them to emerge from the room.<p>

The glass door opened and Hellboy emerged first. And she managed to maintain her calm air despite the awkward presence that filled the hall.

"Are…you alright?" Sonya asked awkwardly, broken speech tumbling awkwardly from her tongue despite her genuine tone.

"Yeah," He exhaled as though exhausted. Not a witty response on his tongue, he nodded, brushing past her to go back to his room.

By a moment's happenstance, she found herself alone in Liz's presence. Her mouth opened awkwardly, a gaping fish out of water.

"And...uh, what about you? Are you okay?" An awkward shuffling of feet accompanying Sonya's words.

"Yes," Liz smiled weakly. "I feel better actually."

Sonya suddenly felt as if there was an anchor pulling on her stomach and she cast her eyes away. "That's good." She raked through the recesses of her mind, trying to find something to soothe her own nerves. But as if she couldn't hold it back, guilt rose fast and sputtered out in choked syllables. "I'm sorry."

The other woman looked taken aback. "Why?"

"For being the thing that's keeping you and Hellboy apart."

"No," Liz said. "Don't be sorry. I'm the reason he's not with me."

"It' just," She sucked in a breath. "I haven't known him for very long and you—" She broke off, tucking hair behind her ear nervously and offering Liz a forced smile. "You've known him forever. I shouldn't come between you two."

"But you do," She said the words with a gentleness that surprised Sonya. "You come between us because he loves you."

Sonya blushed and directed her eyes to the tiles beneath her feet.

"It's true, I can see it. And you love him."

Liz came forward, a hand placed upon Sonya's shoulder. "It's okay. Really."

* * *

><p>With a dejected breath, Sonya entered Hellboy's room to find him on the bed, a kitten curled up next to him.<p>

"I take it that Liz didn't set you fire," Red smiled as the kitten got up and pranced away. "That's always a good sign." It surprised him then how freely she laughed at his words, the first unfettered emotion he'd witnessed from her all day. "So, how are you doing?" he asked, trying to discern the fluttering in his stomach.

"I feel fine." Her answer was followed by a smile that he pursed his lips at.

"Really?" Hellboy fixed her with a measured look.

"Well, maybe, I'm a little jealous..."

"That's almost human of you," He smirked teasingly.

She nodded. "I know." And then as quickly as she had conjured up her air of false bravado, she let it slip away, her lips set in a firm line; her face grave.

"You're not really 'fine', are you?" Hellboy asked, getting up and walking over to stand in front of her.

Sonya's hands reached up to comb through her hair in a gesture of exhaustion. "No...I don't know how I'm supposed to compete with someone like that." She regarded him with wide blue eyes, begging for comfort.

"A competition for what?"

"A competition for you."

He sighed, and took her hands into his and kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

She was like a child before him, captivated by his promises and proximity. "Good."

Then her mouth was against his, speaking volumes without words. Absently he slowly lowered himself to get better access, and his mouth caught hers more heavily, escalating the kiss. There was a quick sweep of tongue that made her gasp, a fleeting biting sensation as he slid down her chin and followed the curve of her jaw.

"You'll be the death of me," she said unevenly as she pulled away.

He laughed and shook his head before his mouth traced down the line of her jaw, the soft curve of her neck. She choked on a moan, a primal desire rising from within her chest. Of course, Sonya could choose to remove herself from the moment. But it had become second nature, automatic, that whenever Hellboy touched her, she felt it. When had the interaction become vital to her? When had she ceased to be so concerned with her heavenly vows?

Her fingertips began to tug at Hellboy's clothing with the alacrity and impatience of a lover one had gone too long without seeing. Then he was lifting her up onto his hips and stumbling backward until her back hit the wall, his hands at her hips were hiking the skirt up to her waist. Sonya broke the kiss and leaned back, her long dark hair falling messily around her face and shoulders, lips red and swollen, her blue eyes even more bright than usual, her nimble fingers undoing the buttons on her shirt.

As soon as she rid her body of the shirt, his hands began roaming over the freshly exposed skin, and her fingers were busy undoing the belt to his pants and pushing them down. Hellboy was busy pulling off her skirt and tossing that and her underwear away blindly.

He began to nip at the soft skin of her neck and the feeling was a welcome one. Pushing aside all other thought but him, Sonya wrapped her arms and legs around him, clutching his body in a desperate fervor. She gasped into the kiss as he slid into her, her teeth sinking into his lower lip. He was a perfect fit, as though he had been made to be in her. Sonya hissed her appreciation as her nails dug into his back, scraping skin and feeling muscle beneath it all. Hellboy just about growled then, right into her ear, and Sonya bit her lip at the sound of it. She could never hope to respond to anyone like she did him. And even if she were to be with someone else, she was certain she would ache for him.

Thankfully, it hadn't taken Sonya very long to fall into sync with him and Sonya's pressed down against him in silent urging. She wiggled enticingly, pinned between the wall and Hellboy, and continued to moan and purr in turn, all depending on where his hands and mouth landed or how he thrust.

The bed was beneath them now, she hadn't even realized. She was busy feeling the world beneath them spin. Each quiver was a direct result of the assault he set on her body, each moan escaping because she could do nothing but.

Bereft of words or speech or thought, she arched her back and she tightened her legs around his waist. She didn't think about how she would be considered unclean in the minds of the family that she was born into, that she was tainted. She didn't think about how she could be condemned even more so for this, and she couldn't even think about the outside world and soon enough she cried out, clutching to him.

They both sucked in sharp breaths. Her lips hovered close, almost touching his, as her forehead leaned against his. Save that they were both relearning how to breathe appropriately, neither moved. Her trembling ceased, her breathing steadily evened out. But he didn't move until her eyes opened and sought him out in the warm, shadowed room.

As soon as he pulled out, she nearly collapsed, had they not moved from the wall to the bed, she may as well have. A smile ghosted over her lips before she idly kissed him and laid her head against his massive red chest. She reached out and her fingertips brushed his shoulder, tracing taut skin over curves where muscles bulge. She touched his face very lightly like a rush of delicate wind. The brush of smooth flesh that left her with an unusual feeling; the kiss of skin to skin, her fingertips trailed over sensitized flesh.

Satiated and content, she raised her face towards the man. "I don't think I'll ever tire of doing that."

He laughed and shook his head. "Me either."

* * *

><p>"Red, I…may have lied to you."<p>

That roused him somewhat. They had been lounging in his room the next morning and he looked up from the kittens and over at her. He opened his mouth and drew a quick breath to speak by Sonya beat him to it.

"It's been eating away at me and I want to tell you the truth."

Some part of him that hung on every word so he didn't speak. What could she have been hiding from him that was as bad as what he was hiding from her? He had lied to her when he said that he was sure he wanted her, he honestly wasn't sure of much anymore.

"I…was originally going to be sent down to Earth to kill you. I've been training for it and I've been watching you for years, planning it out so…precisely." She broke off. "I didn't tell you because I was scared to and—" She swallowed the rest of the words back and expected to hear some sort of rebuke, but there was nothing.

Hiding her fragility and standing upright, she shuffled where she stood ready to take any opportunity to run toward the doorway, hoping to get away from him before any sort of conversation could begin.

She bit her lip, she needed to tell him every detail. "I landed in this facility with the intentions of killing you, eliminating the option of them using you like they had planned for me to do. I was going to get close to you and then strike but I—" She shut her eyes. "I just couldn't."

She had felt trapped as if she was in the sea of people when there was really only the two of them, like there was pressure all around her. She felt a pang of discomfort deep in her chest and her fingers gripped the edge of her skirt with immense force.

"When did you decide not to kill me?"

She snapped back to the present and she saw the tawny eyes regarding hers with weariness**_. _**

Words failed her, weighing desperately against her legs as she steps forward. "I don't know, it was stupid, I—" A doubtful smile fading the moment it rose to her lips.

Tears have already begun to fall from her eyes before he could even speak, and he breathed heavily around the name his lips form, "Sonya," It was unfair of her to do this, to tell him this when he's distracted, when he's battling within himself. Her...or Liz.

"You didn't even know me, why would you do that?" He said, the cruelty that should have accompanied the words was lacking. "Are all angels like that? Only follow the logical choice?"

"Would it matter if I told you I was sorry?" She breathed, "Because I am."

He couldn't answer her–there was nothing to say. What did it matter that she was sorry, what possible good would that do? But she had been honest with him and after all, she didn't kill him, wasn't that what counted? "Look, all that matters is that you didn't do it, and you're not planning to anymore, right?"

"Of course not."

"Good." He pressed a reassuring kiss to her forehead and she smiled weakly.

Before the grave was dug further, she lifted her head in response, cutting off any words that might have followed.


	10. Chapter 10

Sonya wasn't sure exactly when she started getting jealous. All she knew was that the feeling had been tormenting her as of lately. She had heard his laughter and recognized the tell-tale sound of Hellboy's boots before she had seen them.

Cautiously, her blue eyes swept to the right, the source of the noises. Through the window, she could see Hellboy walking alongside Liz, her heart tightened with jealousy. Liz was smiling in the cloud-dimmed sunlight, coming to sit down on a bench and Hellboy sat next to her. Sonya's brow crinkled and she strained her ears to listen to the hushed tones of their conversation.

She could see his lips twitching upwards in amusement, and then Liz opened her mouth to reply to whatever he had previously asked her. "I don't know about you, but an asylum seems like a nice reprieve right about now."

He laughed. "I'll take a rain-check on that."

"I miss it here sometimes, Red," She sighed, glancing up at the building "I wouldn't mind working here again, as long as they fire Manning." They laughed and her hand reached out to fix the collar of his overcoat and she added, "Do you think I should stay? At least for the mission, anyway."

"It's not my choice, Liz," He shrugged. "But, for what it's worth, I think you should stay. We could use the firepower."

Sonya looked away, bitterly, she recalled their conversation about his potential 'options' and she knew that he had told her that she shouldn't worry about them, that he had chosen her. Nevertheless, images that Sonya knew her mind had conjured up out of jealously suddenly began playing in her head. Hellboy's mouth kissing Liz's lips, his fingers twined in the woman's dark hair, her imagination making her nauseous.

She backed away from the window, and went back down to sector 51. She slumped into one of the chairs beside the tall bookcases. How could she bring this up to Hellboy without seeming like an overly-jealous girlfriend?

Hellboy had come to join her some time later and he easily picked up on the fact that she was being distant. His concerned gaze fell upon her and she almost unloaded the burdens that had been bothering her in that moment but she brushed those thoughts away just in time. She eased his concerned look with a genuine smile, and he pulled her lithe frame into the sanctuary of his embrace.

She chastised herself internally; she would not allow her own worries to seep into their time together, especially since that time was now limited. She knew that tomorrow might very well be the last time they could be together ever. Straightening out her pretty features, she said, "We're leaving for Romania in the morning."

He nodded. "Are you sure that this Romanian castle place is the right one?"

She pondered that for a moment, "I...have this feeling about it, and the way my Grace moved when I saw it tells me it's at least significant somehow."

Hellboy brought his can of Red Bull to his mouth and drank down some of the liquid. "Do you mind if Liz tags along on the mission?"

She felt like throwing something. She only managed to restrain herself because it would be ridiculous and childish of her to do so. "I don't mind." She hissed out.

"Something wrong, babe?" He took in her expression, her jaw was clenched, her bright blue eyes definitely hiding something.

"Yes..." Telling Hellboy was both harder and easier than she thought, pouring forth her insecurities made her chest swell oddly but it felt good to get it off of her mind. Words she spent minutes upon minutes dreaming up, rehearsing until they rang crystal clear in her head suddenly retracted themselves from her tongue, and the words that came out instead were broken, faulty, painful, barely formed thoughts but they made sense in their own way.

Perhaps in a world where her heart was colder, she could extract herself from her own mind for a few brief moments and tear him to shreds, to spit curses at him and tell him that he should just go and be with Liz if he wanted to.

But in this world she was infected with a kindness and she took pity on the fact that he was faced this—despite his words—difficult decision between her and the other girl. In this world, she was busy battling the urge to scream at him, to pick him apart piece by piece until all that's left was a useless apology.

Hellboy's lips pulled apart, opening and closing with an unbearable silence, "I didn't know you were that upset by her being here."

Sonya paused in the act of wearing holes into her temples with her fingers, and shook her head. "It's not so much Liz herself, it's when you two are together. I get that you two didn't get closure and—"

"Don't." For a brief moment he stared at her, sighing stale air. Her mask of insecurity as thick as syrup, but he still stared at her as if just his gaze alone could break it. Finally he spoke, the sound was like a bang in the empty room, "You're right, S. I'm not over her, I should have told you before. I still love Liz—probably always will. But isn't that what it's supposed to be like with your first love?"

Truthfully, she had no idea. She had previously only witnessed love from up above in heaven.

"Look, I'm not saying that you don't have a right to be jealous…," He said in a tone that others would find accusatory but she knew he didn't mean it that way. "But I think that you don't much to worry about."

She frowned, willing herself to believe him.

"Trust me, Sonya, I'm not going to leave you. Liz and I had our chance, that's in the past now."

From the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice, she felt the heaviness resting on her shoulders lift.

"Look, if you want, I'll tell Liz she can't come tomorrow and—"

"No, it's okay," Sonya nodded, finding herself genuinely meaning the words. "I'm serious, she can come with us."

"Speaking of that, do you think it's a good idea that I come with you? I'd probably go anyway but I mean if they were planning to use me to start the apocalypse and all, I'd hate to be such a party-crasher."

"No, Red," She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed his forehead, in between his filed-down horns. "You'll be fine."

"You honestly think I can do this?"

With a smile tainting her lips, pulling them upwards in a miserable sort of placidity, she regarded him with fondness. "Yes, I do," she told him, her voice a kind of gentle only he could understand, and he gave her a look of disbelief.

"Well, inject me with whatever you took to make you think that and we'll be set." If she saw strength in him, let him see it too.

"You're braver than I ever thought."

For a blissful moment, in the innocent pools of her eyes, he found that he believed her.

* * *

><p>After an incredibly awkward talk with Liz, telling her that she could go with them tomorrow but she had to be careful, Hellboy went back to the room. He needed sleep for tomorrow, if this mission was going to succeed he would need his strength.<p>

As he drifted further into the room, Hellboy could make out Sonya's form lounging on the bed. But there was something different. She was sprawled out in her sweatpants and tank-top like usual, she was wearing a new nightdress, all black and white lace, her hair falling around her shoulders in loose curls.

Her raised eyebrow let Red know that something was up. She sat up slowly with a smirk. She twirled a strand of hair, catching her bottom lip with her teeth. Leaning forward, she smiled charmingly at him. "Finally, you're back." Her voice was buttery rich and deep, spilling pleasure from her mouth. She had that look on her face, lips moistened with a searching tongue, eyes half-lidded.

"And apparently just in time too." He said, leaning down and kissing her. Who needed sleep anyway? To hell with it. She tasted like desire, honey dripping and sweet sensuality. Sonya reached up and looped her arms loosely around the man's neck, succeeding in pulling him down onto the bed with her as a pair of hands settled, firm and warm, on her waist.

He wound his fingers into Sonya's hair and tilted her head back for better access as he began descending kisses down her neck. Her wings snapped free from where she had them pinned against her back, enveloping them both. His hands slid their way up her thighs and he began moving one finger in tempting circles and she moaned. She went pliant in his arms and gripped his shirt, feathery fingertips trailed down his chest.

In an instant, she had pulled off his shirt, taking in the sight of the tattoo-like symbols etched into his skin and toned muscles. She cherished the feel of skin to skin as he tugged off her dress, the air in the room had suddenly become sticky and hot.

Then her free hand was roaming lower down his body until it she got the BPRD belt loose enough for her to remove his pants. Sonya sighed as he filled her, satisfying the craving she had for his body, it might be the last time she got to feel it. It was a startling feeling for Hellboy too, like electricity shook him from the waist down.

They began building their rhythm, his body praising her thighs. It was all too much and nowhere near enough all at once, and she arched desperately into his touch, only to receive a soft laugh in response. She peered up at him through dark lashes and broken moans tore from his throat. Hellboy wasn't going to last long like this, with bright blue eyes focused on him as if waiting to see him come apart, a flush high on Sonya's cheeks. Feeling bold, she tightened her thighs around him and rolled them over.

She triumphantly looked down onto his surprised face as she rolled her hips, her round knees digging gently into his sides. She threw her head back, hands traveling up into her hair and allowing her fingernails to scrape over her scalp. She could feel Hellboy's hands curling around her hips, kneading with easy rhythm, holding their bodies together more firmly and encouraging her.

White heat began building in the base of her stomach, the static, which had begun to become familiar, starting to fill her ears. She locked her eyes onto his and moved her hands down from her hair and she latched them onto his hands, still laced to her hips. And the sensation twisting around her gut kept building until it finally roared free and she rode out the wave that broke over her and Hellboy.

Hellboy brought his breathing back under control with effort, opening his eyes to see Sonya staring down at him with dulled pleasure. He swallowed hard, and although he felt practically boneless, he rolled them back over, and kissed her, feeling her ever-desperate hands grasping him.

He pulled out of her and she sighed in content, their touches became lazy and slow, the kind that meant hours spent in passionate silence. They had no need for words.

* * *

><p>The room around Sonya was a swirl of colors and faces as everyone was loading up the plane to get to Romania. Today was the day, this was it. The day she had been both awaiting and dreading.<p>

She glanced around at everyone's faces, and she knew she wasn't the only one struggling, none of them were exactly excited for this. Everyone in this room could die today but they were still going to go on the mission. They had to save the world no matter the consequences. It was all a matter of faith, faith in _her_, faith in her plan. And she'd be damned if she let the world fall.

-.-.-.-

The car ride to the castle was even worse than the plane ride had been, and the closer they got, the more her Grace would jump and flutter around inside of her. But Sonya had no illusions of escaping this alive.

This was going to be the end, she was going to do what she had been planning from the start, she was going to stop them. She had given up everything for this. She had fell from Heaven with the name _Anung Un Rama _repeating through her mind. And she fought for this, she put all her trust in the bureau, she was willing to sacrifice herself for this. She gave this everything she had and more.

It didn't matter that Michael would threaten her and she would have to kill her way through her garrison of angels in order to complete this. She would still fight. Because it was her purpose for _being_. Despite the overwhelming evidence that this would end badly, she put all of her faith in this cause and the human race.

She _believed _in this.

The sound of the car breaks squeaking shook her back to the present, the cruelty of the jarring reality coming back. Sonya exhaled as she exited the vehicle, her breath fogging in the cold air. As she turned around, she was face-to-face with an old friend.

"Isaac," She breathed. Why had he come here? Was he going to help? But she was making all the wrong decisions in Isaac's eyes, of this she was positive.

"Michael and Zachariah will slaughter you, Sonya," He argued before she could say anything.

Sonya's mouth opened in a exaggerated exhale as she searched for the words to say. Finally a reason tumbled from her lips, "This is our only chance." Sonya was strained, avoiding Isaac's gaze, wishing there were words to say when there were none. "Who else but me?" She tried to explain. Michael and Zachariah were stronger than her and she knew they were coming here, if they weren't already inside, but at this point there could be no turning back. She lifted her chin defiantly, a motion she had repeated so many times before to seem impenetrable.

Unsatisfied, the man shook his head and disappeared.

Somewhere in the background of the throbbing in her head, she could hear Hellboy calling her name. His voice talking provided an insect noise, the beating wings of a swarm in her ears as she diverted her gaze. She stared ahead, unseeing, her eyes speaking riddles that he could not solve without vocal inflection.

When she made no sign of acknowledgment, he raised his voice. "Is it something I did?" he asked her.

She inhaled suddenly, eyes widening at the dawning of his question, the realization that she was not alone. Again her eyes fell, head bowed by her unspoken fatigue. "No," she told him wearily, putting her hands of his shoulders and giving him a quick kiss.

Sonya hated the castle before she had even stepped over the threshold. The building was coming apart at the seams and the winding path that led to up to the castle was a gravel road that was barely a road at all. Overturned boulders and sinkholes littered the way.

She dug her nails into her palm as she entered the castle, Hellboy, Liz and Abe on her heels.

The little light that shone in through the cracked windows from the pale moon cast an eerie glow on the room cheeks, each shadows seeming to be a figure lurking around every corner.

"Let's just go," Liz mumbled in Sonya's direction.

Sonya whirled around to face her with a firm "No." She shook her head as they went down one of the dilapidated corridors. "Something's wrong," Sonya said. "They should've attacked us by now."

As if on cue, a huge, thick, stone wall came crashing down, separating them in pairs. Her and Hellboy stuck on one side, Abe and Liz stranded on the other.

She went to take a step toward the wall but was stopped when someone grabbed her by the wings and yanked her back. She cried out in pain and whirled around to find an angel there, equipped with a dagger.

Strength surged into her muscles with welcoming heat, and she quickly snatched the dagger out of the angel's hands, and burying it to the hilt in her surprised brother's chest.

She was grabbed with such force that she was hurled against the ground, her stomach hitting the tiles painfully, and she struggled to breath, getting onto her hands and knees in the rubble of the collapsed wall.

"Hellboy," said a voice above the angel. "Good to finally meet in person." The male voice was a fair bit away from Sonya but she recognized it.

She tensed and made to look up, but she did not want to be seen if it was him and quickly dropped her gaze. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw shined leather shoes. Yes, it was him and she found herself reeling at the possibility of interaction, chest wracked with pins and needles.

"Sorry," Hellboy quipped. "I know I'm bit a famous but I have no idea who you are."

"I'm Zachariah," He said, and she could hear the smug smile in his smile. "An archangel, I'm sure you're familiar with who were are."

Then she heard a whispered, "Excuse me one moment, Hellboy, will you?"

Shoes clunking against the ground, halting in front of her, the air tensing. Neither spoke, but she knew that he was regarding her with cautious, haughty eyes, composing the perfect sonata to taint the air with, to inject his poison into her veins.

"Sonya," He said, "It's been a while." He clucked his tongue and sighed. "What's happened to your good attitude?"

"I...will never have a good attitude about any of this," She admitted. "Even now, the thought of such a betrayal of god's beloved children is an abomination."

"Okay, you're being straight with me so I'll be equally straight with you. I think you've just gotten a little too close to the humans. This really isn't that big of a deal, we can always start over from scratch."

She began to lift her head at that and then she barely saw the polished shoe move; then the sole of it was pressing down, the heel on the nape of her neck, forcing Sonya down till her nose brushed the floor.

"Doubt, frustration, caring too much for the humans…It's all a dangerous combination. It's forcing you to do and say things you wouldn't ordinarily do," -Zachariah's foot pressed harder—"I mean, look how far you've fallen."

"Zachariah." She warned.

"You're playing into fate's hand, Sonya. There's no stopping it. You knew it was only a matter of time. You knew your path was laid out, but you strayed from it. Now…now you're weak. Your orders were to make him start the apocalypse." He snorted. "Well, not your true orders..."

"What?"

"You were never meant to kill Anung Un Rama."

A breath sputtered from her lips, "What?"

"You were meant to rule by his side."

"That...That's not possible."

Zachariah's foot pressed harder, cutting off her air supply and she whimpered behind closed teeth.

"Why do you think we were putting it off for so long? And why do you think it was so important to either keep you on our side or kill you?" He sighed again as if genuinely distraught over the matter. "It's a shame really. I always kind of liked you."

And then she felt the shoe move off of her and something slammed her hard on the head, and she fell into the open arms of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: I'm so so so so sorry for not updating recently, I promise the next chapter will come faster:) **_


	11. Chapter 11

Sonya awoke to the feeling of agony razoring down every single nerve fiber, ricocheting around her body in a dance of excruciation. She could barely see a bloody dagger left laying across her stomach, her eyes forced to stare at the ceiling by the bindings around her chin and mouth; wrists bound to the table. Her clothes were gone and her body was already bleeding from the large cuts made across her stomach in an effort to awaken her from her unconscious state.

"Look who made it here after all."

She closed her eyes and groaned. "Tariel."

"In the flesh," He laughed bitterly.

"Since when are demons involved in this massacre?"

"Since the angels offered me redemption."

Sonya nearly pitied him, her family's hatred for his kind was bottomless, frightening, and they would never truly save him. They just needed someone to do their dirty work for them, a get out of jail free card, no guilt. But if the roles were reversed and the angels had come, offering to save her life from Hell's icy grip, to pull her back from the abyss of nothingness—the vortex of soulless demons and torture—she would have accepted.

A choked cry escapes her lips as Tariel began the torture again while she was lost in thought. Sonya began to scream and make threats until her voice was raw but it did no good, the thick leather straps that held her to the table were too strong and she could barely even breathe through her screams. There was nowhere to go and no way to make it stop.

The blade of the knife was cruel and set fire to her senses. She could feel the dagger he was using drag mercilessly at the muscle and bone where they pierced. Each time the razor cut into her delicate, pale skin, she'd let loose a cry. Every shaky breath felt like the dagger itself was tearing through her lungs. Her vision was blurred, tears lining up to fall down her cheeks. Trembling fingers flexed in pain, chest heaving as she fought to get free.  
>The demon pressed the bloody knife onto her exposed legs, piercing the skin just enough for blood to rise around the sharp point. Her whimpers oozed past the binding over her mouth and chin, echoing around the room.<p>

About the only thought she was able to keep in her head was Hellboy, still unconscious, and bound to the wall. Between screaming and sobbing, the only thing that would rise in her mind was if Hellboy would suffer this same fate.

Another scream tore its way out of her throat as Tariel dragged the knife up her thigh, parting the flesh. She pulled against the restraints holding her down, toes curling.

Sonya let out a high pitched cry as he slowly drew the blade down her stomach and the tears that had so far been kept at bay got the best of her.

Her torturer loomed over her with a big smile on his face, and Sonya got a horrible nauseous feeling in her stomach. Oh, god.

"Guess who's going to be the main star in the ritual tonight?"

_Hellboy._

"Guess who's going to start the apocalypse tonight?"

When Sonya contemplated lunging for his throat, she remembered that she was bound to a table, helpless. "You stay away from him!" She tried to get of the restraints desperately, her heart hammering. "If you hurt him—" But the words were muffled by the bindings over her mouth and chin and she doubted he heard any of what she'd said.

"You and your pet are going to die tonight."

Not Hellboy. No. She wouldn't let them.

She could almost guess what they were going to do to him after they used him. When Sonya closed her eyes, she could visualize Hellboy, a hand slamming into his chest and tore out his still beating heart. When she opened her eyes, she stared into cruel eyes that were practically taunting her, daring her to do something.

"The world will burn and crumble."

_No. I won't let it._ She thought stubbornly.

But he pressed the knife into the flesh on her rib cage and added to the blossoming pain in her body, and her attention was brought right back.

* * *

><p>The floor was hard. Cold. Stone. And it was the first thing that cut through the haze of black, one part of the jolt that drew Hellboy to consciousness. The muscles in his arms trembled. How long he had been out, chained up and laying on the floor, he could not recall.<p>

Sonya's shrieks were the worst. They were the second thing that had brought him back to reality. The high pitched sound echoed off the walls no matter that her mouth was covered to muffle such things. Like the wail of a banshee, the sound split through his ears and dug into his brain with needle like claws. He raised his eyes frantically to find her, covered in the crimson sleekness of her blood, her dark hair spread over the metal headrest.

_**No.**_

This was all wrong, they couldn't touch her, he wouldn't let them. He pulled on the restraints binding him creaked, begging to give in and let him free. He tugged again harder when the man traced a bloody pattern down her side with his knife and Sonya reflexively jerked against the restraints.

He pulled against the shackles once more and they shattered into pieces, calling out her name, he leaped to his feet. Tariel looked up from what he was doing, and dropped the knife, waving his bloodied fingers in a grotesque parody of a wave and vanishing into thin air.

Heart hammering, Hellboy continued forward until he reached Sonya. She blinked weakly in acknowledgment as he murmured 'it's okay' 'you'll be fine' and undid her bindings. He lifted her into his arms, trying to be as gentle as possible.

There were still marks left over from where the knife cut her flesh and left furious, bloodied lines. Her eyes found Hellboy and she tried to focus on him, praying for strength, blinking away the tears, disregarding the warm trickle of blood sliding down her sides. The fire of the cuts began to fade as the wounds started to heal.

Seeming to come out of nowhere, Michael hurtled himself into Hellboy, wings outspread, knocking both Hellboy and Sonya to the ground. She fell out of Hellboy's arms and lay on her side, still nude, trying to gather her strength.

"Anung un Rama," Michael said, standing upright and straightening his jacket, his hands spread out in a greeting. Even when betraying everything the angels stood for, he looked beautiful and emanated power. "Sonya."

She had to find her clothes. Her blade was in her jacket, if she could find it, she could try to stop Michael.

There were hundreds of possibilities on how that could play out, and all of them bad.

Before, she could even begin to wonder where they could possibly have her clothes at there were two angels behind her. Abraham and Rachel, she recognized.

She heard the rustle of their wings before she realized that they had taken her. Rachel heaved her to her feet, sneering down at Sonya. "You always were the weak link, Michael's soft spot." She tossed Sonya's clothes at her. "Make yourself presentable, Sonya."

_Yes._

Sonya began to clothe herself, chest heaving, eyes watering, open flesh stinging. She felt as if she would melt away like the last drops of candle wax with no wick to keep them steady.

Every bone in her body was sore with exhaustion and chill, every nerve thick with it. She closed her eyes and did not open her eyes, not yet. One hand slowly curled into her pocket, fingers furling around the hilt of the blade, her own blood dripping onto it.

Eyes still locked shut, she lets her fingers run the length of the hilt.

"There, now that you're-"

Before, Rachel could finish her sentence, Sonya leaped.

* * *

><p>Michael nodded toward a male and female angel who had just appeared behind him, and the two were set to drawing sigils on the wall.<p>

"Wow, that's…"

The words drowned from Hellboy's throat as if muffled by the oppressive sigils ahead when the two angels turned to glare at him.

"Overkill." He finishes dully, looking at the overlapping arcs and lines of the Enochian, a language too old for man to ever fully appreciate.

Clearing his throat, Michael spoke up, turning to the others, "I have business to attend to. Make sure that he does not go anywhere until I return."

Their eyes all turn to Hellboy and he scoffed. "You can try to keep me here," he said, but when he tried to move forward, he simply couldn't. It was as if there were anchors strapped to his ankles.

Michael choked out something that almost sounded like a half-hearted laugh before vanishing.

Something shifted in his trenchcoat pocket and he wanted to punch himself in the face, hard. He had forgotten that he had hidden a blade there just in case he had lost the one he had been carrying. He still felt the binding of the sigil keeping him bound to the wall but he twitched his fingers toward it and it worked. He could move his hand, inch by inch, he was taking back his freedom. He rationalized it thus: the sigil was made to keep humans or angels or weaker demons pinned. But did not hold him fully, he gave him wiggle-room, wiggle-room he intended to break through.

He didn't care if it could be dangerous at this point. His mind couldn't even wrap around the possibilities of what could happen to Sonya, of what could happen if the angels went through with sacrificing him.

Enough dawdling, he decides, and then, conjuring all of his strength to his legs, he leaps, blade in hand. The sigil on the wall cracked as he did as if it was symbolic of his freedom. The momentum propels him forward, toward the male and female angel.

He collided with the male angel, blindingly fast. He lands under Hellboy and cried out as they hit the floor. Hellboy was rash by nature, and furthermore, there had always been an undercurrent of danger which crackled just underneath his skin. He was unpredictable and before the male angel could react, he had leaped up, tightened his grip on the dagger and pierced it through his chest. The female angel's eyes widened and she went to move after him but he was too fast and before she could react, he had stabbed her as well. Her blood splattered against the front of his shirt. It was warm against his cool skin, he realized in some dim physically aware part of his brain. She stopped thrashing and turned impossibly heavy in his hands.

Tariel, armed with his own blade, stood in the doorway, he was smirking at Hellboy. And before Hellboy could make a witty remark about the look on his face, the hallway behind him had begun to collapse. Rocks and walls tumbling into the once open space. Hellboy wasted no time and advanced on Tariel, swinging out with the sharp end of his blade. It cut across Tariel's stomach, blood oozing out. He cried out and attacked Hellboy, landing a few solid blows, but he wasn't quick enough, and Hellboy had flung him backward using his stone-hand, his back slammed into the wall with such a force that blood spurted from his mouth. He fell, lifelessly, to the ground.

Hellboy tucked the blade into his belt and began to work his way through one of the walls, stone-hand hitting repetitively into the sheet-rock, willing it to crumble, he had to get out of here. He had to get to Sonya.

* * *

><p>The grip of Sonya's sword was slippery with her own blood; she knew Hellboy wasn't going to make it here in time, if he was even still alive. There was no time to draw a sigil to assist her. Two of her brethren now faced her with faces glowing like Heaven's light, weapons like gold, their wings filling the space around them. Perhaps, with luck, she would escape in time to find Red and help him. But it was doubtful.<p>

Sonya darted forward, under one of the weapons thrown at her. The brother before her, Abraham, came in low, and Sonya jerked sideways to avoid another attack. The second blade was one of her sister's, Rachel, and she reached for Sonya's shoulder, but the touch only brushed her elbow.

Sonya swept Rachel's feet out from under her, and she rolled away in time to only feel the lightest clip across her thigh from a sword. Sonya looked up to find Abraham advancing on her with his blade. She brought up her own sword just in time to counter his strike; sparks flying. It took just about all of her strength to push his blade away.

Then Rachel leaped to her feet, moving forward from behind Sonya and Abraham moving toward her from the front. Sonya tightened her weapon-holding fist and struck out at Rachel while parrying Abraham's blow. Despite her efforts, Abraham dealt Sonya a angry wound across her chest, the angel stumbled backward and managed to keep on her feet, wings snapping out instinctively to steady herself.

Her siblings were on her in an instant. She took on Rachel first, managing to throw her across the room. As she turned to face Abraham, he seized her by the arms and hurled her at the wall. Her head hit the wall with a sickening thud, and she fell to the ground, head spinning, unable to pull herself to her feet.

Sonya grabbed her bloody sword and remained where she was for a long moment, her skull repairing itself rapidly. Then Abraham was there, grabbing her by the front of her shirt, she hissed out a groan as he held her up. He sneered and tossed her effortlessly across the room. Her body still healing, Sonya swallowed dryly and trying to heave herself to her feet but only managed to roll further away from her attacker.

She could see Rachel's and Abraham's feet approaching her and there was another pair too; she managed to pull herself into a sitting position against the wall and looked up.

"Cease this foolish fighting," Rachel said, her face a mask of indifference. "The end is upon us, accept it."

Instead of answering, she used her wings to get up, and fast as light, tried to flee. But a hand closed on her feathers in a bone-crushing grip and jerked her back.

She was hurled down to the floor once again. She struggled for breath as the air was forced from her lungs, stars dancing before her eyes. The wound dealt by Abraham seared her chest and her wing, broken by the unseen hand, lay limp at her side.

"We tried to warn you," said a voice from above the angel. She tensed—she would know that voice anywhere, no matter how unexpected it was for him to actually make an appearance here while they were trying to use Hellboy to start the end, slowly, she looked up, blinking blood from her eyes.

The angel's Grace was shining so brightly it could only belong to an archangel, her heart sank. Every emotion, every shout, were launched against the back of her tongue, and she pressed it down against her jaw to hold them in.

"Michael," She murmured, reverent with fear.

"You know you will lose this yet you continue to fight," He continued. "Sonya, my favorite sister, what happened to your good nature?"

She flinched. "I do not understand why you're choosing to end them. You love the humans, Michael." Her voice roughened by pain.

"Lov**e_d_**. I used to love him, but now they're not but a burden to us. And if we destroy them and do not like the outcome...well, we can start anew, can't we?"

"That's why we are leading the world to the End of Days?" She hissed. "Because we gave up?"

She held herself still, trembling; she dropped her gaze to the concrete floor.

"Sonya," Michael said in a gentle voice. "You could never understand, your destiny was to be evil. To fall into evil's grip. I was foolish to believe that I could've stopped that nature, no matter how hard I tried."

"My doubts are my own, not of some petty destiny."

"Really?" He said, disbelieving, and she swallowed heavily. "I don't know, maybe you spent too much time studying the humans. You lost track of the big picture. Maybe you've been away from Heaven too long to remember the Will of God."

She snarled. "The Will of God is not to destroy what he made, you know that way he treated them with such love. Your will is your own."

"Sonya...the name means wisdom," He smiled sadly. "And with wisdom you do speak. But it is tainted wisdom, a fool's wisdom."

She barely saw him move; then a blade was at Sonya's chest, heavy with the weight of Michael's unending strength. And then Michael's hand stroked its way down Sonya's un-injured wing, and Sonya's limbs began to shake in realization of what was going to follow the gesture. She grit her teeth and drew a deep, shuddering breath through her nose, and then Michael _pulled_.

The wing broke, each bone snapping. The experience was worse than she imagined and she screamed; her body writhing. Exhausted and injured, Sonya slumped to the floor. She knew she was going to die and she mourned her optimism; wished it hadn't been stolen when she fell.

Michael looked disdainfully at her and pressed the blade harder into her chest. Suddenly, as if by some miracle of fate, Michael was yanked away from her, and a blade plunged through Abraham's chest.

Sonya's eyes widened as she saw her brother, Isaac, beginning his attack on Rachel. He glanced over at Sonya as he blocked Rachel's blade. "Come on, sis, I could use your help."

Upon hearing his nickname for her, she seized up all of her energy and stumbled up onto wobbly legs, power surging from her Grace. Beautiful in all aspects, revered for every ounce of power that seeped from his pores, she looked upon Michael as he began to walk toward the alter to begin the ritual. She had to stop him, but how? Sonya had spent the beginning of their years together with her eyes transfixed on him, logging every move he made; desperate to be as strict assertive as her eldest brother, as sure of herself as he was. Once upon a time she would have furiously bathed herself in ignorance rather than go against Michael, but now she saw the light. Only now did she realize that she never wanted to be like him.

"Michael."

He turned around abruptly as she called his name; he shook his head slowly. "Sonya, when will you learn?"

She leaped forward, scooping up her blade as she went, and whirled into a spinning kick that would've sent Michael tumbling to the ground had it connected. He sidestepped—faster that the blink of an eye.

In this moment, Sonya let her actions take over themselves, and she lunged forward again only to have the sword countered, forced away in a fluid motion. Michael had drawn his own blade and was attacking her and she was just narrowly avoiding his actions.

Managing a strike to Michael's side, Sonya attempted to go for a second blow but Michael's hand flashed upward and grabbed her wrist. She tried to leap backwards and away from him but he was gripping her wrist, the littl_e _bones there flaring with pain. His fingers becoming like an iron grip as she attempted to wrench herself away.

Panic flashed down all her nerves as Michael's blade came up in an arc, when suddenly a pair of hands snagged her backwards by her shoulders. She spun around to see Isaac there, eyes blazing with fury, Rachel's limp body behind him. In battle, Sonya was known for her speed and her skills with a blade were nothing to be laughed at either, but those were something that Michael seemed to triumph over her. That having been said, her strengths combined with Isaac's intelligence was a greater foe. The warmth of courage flooded through her veins, enveloping her in focused energy.

Isaac whirled into action, all tactical strategies and blows that landed on there target and Sonya was right by his side, expertly wielding her blade. Michael was desperately blocking their attacks, hardly being able to bring down any of his own. All of a sudden, Michael had a hold of Sonya_._

He threw her body onto the ground with a crack, delivering multiple kicks to her side before Isaac could step in to distract him. She knew she had to get up but she had lost too much blood, her Grace fluttering weakly in her chest. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage, her breath was short and her vision was blurred. She could feel her body about to give; unable to pull in enough breaths to keep going. The adrenaline mixed with her knowledge that she had to end this began pounding through her veins and she succeeded in standing upright.

She got up just in time to see Isaac being thrown through the air, and she made her move, blade swinging through the air.

Motions seemed to pause, a frozen ferocity holding steady as time itself seemed to slow. She watched in slow motion as the two swords seemed to be hung balanced between the air in front of them. This was it, the eye of the storm, one of them would die in this moment. She had always been Michael's prodigy, sidling up to her sibling, begging for wisdom, though she knew that he would never doubt that she was magnificent as well.

Time returned to normal and Michael's blade slid forward menacingly, and she brought up her blade just in time to counter Michael's strike; the sound was like thunder. In a split-second, she had plunged her sword into Michael's chest. His eyes went wide, lips open in a mixture of shock and denial.

He didn't move, still as a statue as she pulled her blade out from where she had buried it in his chest. Michael blinked, looking down at the wound as if unsure of its existence. Slowly, she could witness his skin turning to stone, the material creeping its way up his arms, over his chest, traveling up his neck.

His life spilled across the floors, pooling beneath their feet. And his grace began to pour out of his eyes, draining the color from his body, previously pallid colors tinged a dull gray, as if watching oil seep from a funnel. Michael's Grace, even dimmed as it was now, made the room shine with blinding light. Finally, his entire body was stone, wings wrapped around his body. The air stilled, a phantom clock chiming the final gongs of the hour, the final moment the two would ever share and then he was gone.

"Michael, I'm sorry," She said._ "_Goodbye."

She collapsed onto weak knees, eyes fluttering shut. Isaac was at her side in an instant.

"Sonya, you need medical attention," He grabbed her shoulder gently and studied her face.

"Get Red..." She said breathlessly. Was he even still alive? "Hellboy...find him."

Isaac looked like he wanted to argue but reluctantly he nodded. "Don't move, I'll return quickly, I promise."

Pain wracked her each and every move as she crawled toward the door, taking short notice of the red seeping through her shirt, the dripping beads of blood catching onto the fabric and soaking through it. She could feel her back oozing blood from where her wings had been broken and torn at.

She moved across the floor until she could no longer, aching limbs collapsing beneath her. She regarded her surroundings with scrutiny, where was Hellboy? She had to tell him something before she died. In her many lifetimes, she had "died" before but this time was different, this time it would be the utter and irrevocable end. As everything began to fade around her, she saw a shadow move, previously unseen within the other shadows, running toward the doorway.

"Red!" Her voice screamed as he ran as fast as he could down the seemingly endless hallway to reach her, and an unintentional moan of pain passed through her words.

Finally, he reached her. There she lay, bloody, broken on the ground with a blade still lodged in her stomach, limbs twitching as he drew the weapon out. Sonya's brilliantly blue eyes stared back at his with tired dereliction, longing for the end he now knew, by looking at her, would come. Scooping her into his arms as he knelt beside her, he placed a hand over the wound on her stomach in an attempt to stifle the bleeding.

Her eyelids fluttered shut although her blood was still spilling into his hand. Her blood was a crimson tide, the blood from her back pooling beneath her limp form. Right in front of his eyes her skin seemed to be losing color.

The only things he could connect together were panicked fragment-thoughts. Need help. Apply pressure. Don't hesitate. Come back to demands were repeated in his mind, even while his breathing came quicker and his vision began blur with frustration. And now her blood was on him too. It was everywhere, under his nails and staining his clothes while he tried to rouse the corpse on the ground.

_Not yet. _No, she wasn't a corpse yet. There was still warmth to the skin beneath her palms, still breath passing his lips, however labored and faint. There was no time to ask how long she had left, how much blood she had actually given up, whether he was imagining that it was actually sinking into her shoes and staining her skin.

"Sonya," He begged—demanded, really. He wanted no option left, no choice to ignore his words. "Wake _up_."

Though he now pressed his face to hers and gave her the breath from his lungs, desperate for the rise and fall of her chest, she laid limp in his arms without so much as a stir. She might have died, but she hadn't died yet, had she? Please no, please leave her be, Hellboy prayed to anyone that would listen that she was going to be alive. And when he pressed an ear to her chest, a faint heartbeat begrudgingly reassuring him that she was alive. Just barely.

Back to reviving her then. His hands pushed furiously at her chest and trying to revive her, in the distance he could hear the sound of the back up that he had sent Isaac to retrieve.

Hellboy's breathing became a fragile sound, the noise trying to charm the ears of a silent god that took pity upon him. Perhaps if he feigned belief in the god who had abandoned Sonya, if he allowed herself to act the role of the steadfast faithful Sonya had always been, a miracle of fate will keep Sonya from falling from the edge. Bring her back to me, please.

Memories of past horrors resurfaced, making this moment all the more painful—Liz's limp dead form—soul gone, the image of his father's dead body laying in the study, the feeling that had welled inside his chest when the doctor told him that he and Liz had lost the babies. All of these played before his eyes, before he shook them away.

The paradmedic BPRD squad took over, pushing a reluctant Hellboy away. Why were they moving him away from her, leaving him distanced from Sonya's motionless body, limbs limp beside her where she was laid down?

They tore open her shirt and pressed the defibrillator panels to her chest, a sickening lurch cracked through the air and her body arched upward before thumping back, lifelessly, to the ground. He whispered noiseless prayers and he doubted anyone would hear his pleas.

The seconds were going by in slow motion, they were rubbing the defibrillators together again and he felt sick. His fingers found their way to his father's rosary beads looped around his wrist, the beads rapped heavily against the bones of his hands. He tapped out a count against five beads, a prayer for Sonya accompanying the motion, maybe some angel would listen to his plea if no one else.

He needed a resurrection, but no, she couldn't be dead, but it felt like death, the sudden staleness of the air as though every humid molecule had been soaked up. It was as though the air in the room refused to move—as if it no longer needed to.

His thumb looped against the notches of the string, a death to suit the life of the world. He remembered what Sonya had called this castle, the place where life and death align. It had merely sounded like a classical balance, but now he understood. Her death was the death needed to align the life of humans.

The air felt like a second blanket around him, laden heavy. His grip on the rosary loosened slightly. There was no need to pray, he thought bitterly.

There was no god, no higher power dipping his hand down to Earth and fixing problems and shining everyone up until they were bristling with perfection. The world was chaos, and he had very little to hold on to and keep him sane, there were only a few things keeping him from sweeping out into the sea of insanity, and now his life raft was sinking to the dark abyss below.

Her chest jerked upward like a marionette at the whim of her puppeteer, and his attention was snapped back to the present.

The looks on everyone's faces was more than enough to indicate that Sonya had suffered the fate he feared she might. It felt as if someone had pressed a defibrillator to his chest now, an unnecessary jump-starting, and it blew his ears out and heaved him up, rattling him in convulsing light.

His body was frozen, unsure of what just happened, as his wide eyes stared at her body.

"I'm sorry," One of the BPRD agents who had tried to revive her said to him, confirming his fears even further.

He stared at him uncomprehendingly. He shook his head, mouth set and grave; his blood ran with ice and he said _Sonya can't be dead_, or tried to but the words wouldn't come and he was left mutely mouthing the syllables like a fish flopping in its death throes on the beach.

He felt the heat drain from him. His chest constricted painfully, horror gripping his lungs like a vice, and he closed her eyes and swayed dangerously before he fell to his knees and pulled her form against his.

"Sonya…come back. I won't let you…" But the words never came. Tears stung at his eyes.

Instead the stench of death settled around him as he stared at Sonya, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He found himself desperate for some distraction to wake him from this nightmare, a dream within a dream, but all that was left were the sounds of silence.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Oh my gods, it's been ages since I updated this. I'm so so so so so sorry, I got caught up in my personal life and work and school and I had a bit of a writer's block when it came to this. I'll update again when I get the chance:)**_


	12. Chapter 12

They had given her a proper burial, in some grassy field right next to the river, a headstone and everything. But it didn't change the fact that everything still hurt. He arrived a little late, but only because his muscles felt heavier than ever before, as if they were readying themselves for seeing Sonya's body be buried in the ground, and they expect him to be there. All throughout the funeral, he stood within the shadows of the trees surrounding the field _despite every effort to be mature about this, he simply couldn't_. Everything spun around him, sky becoming ground and the ocean becoming the forest, the muffled sound of footsteps and voices, stifled by the deadened haze he had sucked himself within. He stared ahead, unseeing, never moving from where he was, shoulders fallen, the memories surfacing.

She was an angel, she was supposed to be bullet-proof. Unstoppable. Invincible. Now he knew those words were as good as the dust, clinging to the floors until being easily whisked away. He had always made the mistake of thinking that death would strike further from home, and it had cost him every time he lost someone.

He finally looked up at her casket, reinforcing the knowledge that she was gone, that at any moment he might crack.

He left before it was over, he didn't need to stick around to know how it would end.

When he got back to his room, he drank and drank and thought of things that would take his mind off of her. They sing ballads about this type of thing, He knew, but he couldn't remember the words. He had studied the Latin etchings on parchment paper, some were even love stories about how if you love someone you should let them go; mercy and all that. But it does not look like this. Mercy does not look like this.

He held his head in his hands. The images flickered behind his eyes. Being curled over her, her legs around him, knees pinned to his ribcage, dark hair brushing his face as she laughed.

The pain curled around him; it made itself a home. He laid back and sighed, there is a slosh of longing, an inkblot of black on the clean slate of his mind.

When images of Sonya lying like a slaughtered animal would canon-slam to his chest, he would lock himself away and not speak to anyone for days. He wondered if normalcy was something, like vision or silence, you didn't realize was precious until you lost it.

It was Sonya who cleared his mind and opened his eyes to new perspectives. It seemed to him that people were too used to having a certain chunk of years with the people they cared about, natural spans and what have you, but in reality, they were amazingly lucky to even encounter one another, considering how vast time and space are. It hardly seemed fair that Sonya was dead when he was the tainted one, he was the demon, and she was the opposite, she was good and pure. People would say that the world was going by so rapidly, his loss was nothing compared to others', but he allowed himself to be selfish. Just for her.

It was times like these, when he was lost in thought, that he was grateful that an absent hole would appear in his mind so that he could recede into when he was troubled.

He heard a door open and he heart lifted, maybe it was Sonya. But he looked up and his door was still closed, and if it was Sonya, she would have enveloped him in her arms, bathing him in vibrant smiles, and her thrums of positivity would have elicited stolen laughter from his throat.

Pulled violently back the stark cold reality, Hellboy shivered. He should know better than to expect this feeling to dissolve, this pain to lessen, he had experienced this before.

The door creaked open and Abe slipped into the room,fingers brushing against the silver knob.

"What d'you want?" His words were slurred between half-open lips, eyelids drooping halfway. Abe brought himself closer to Red with uncertainty.

"You look exhausted." Came Abe's nervous words and Hellboy glanced at him and shrugged.

"Can't sleep."

Abe's eyes darted away and he found himself speaking words delicately, desperate to comfort him, it was the least he could do after what happened. "Red, what happened to Sonya, you had no control. It was fate—"

"Says who?" He grunted.

"A death to suite life," Abe said. "You know that there was nothing you could do. You tried everything you could, amulets, supernatural crosses, everything."

"Just leave me alone, Blue."

Abe went to the doorway and lingered there for a moment, studying his friend. Where were Hellboy's blessings? Where was the comfort he needed? Where was his shield in the face of the torrential downpour of bullshit that life thought itself entitled to throw at him? He needed something, Abe thought, Sonya had been that something for him, the skin to wrap around him and block him from harm. This harsh apathy he had now cocooned himself in provided no protection.

Hellboy finally fell asleep one night, the darkness taking him into it's spindly arms, and suddenly she was there reaching for him with soft skin, gentle arms, and the ghost of her hand across his face faded with the dark and his eyes opened, death once again far beyond his grasp.

Suddenly there was a tremendous noise coming from his bedroom door, he glanced over at the clock it was three in the morning, he stumbled forward, eyes bleary as he answered the knocking.

"Isaac?" He grumbled sleepily, confused by his presence.

"It's been a week," he replied in an obvious tone, as if that should be answer enough to clue him in, but Hellboy remained fixed in the entryway, staring at him blankly.

"What?"

"We have to go see her," he uttered quietly and he stared at him in surprise.

"I just can't."

"You have to," Isaac spoke as if he had no say in the matter and Hellboy frowned.

"Why? For consolation and all that bullshit, no thanks."

"You'll see."

He was practically pulsing determination as he dragged him from the building without giving him so much as a chance to change, and he regarded him carefully as they walked to Sonya's burial spot.

That day, the woods were silent and dark and shadowed with empty spaces like discarded pieces of fairytales between which witches would beckon for children to follow at their heels.

There was a strange ferocity in Isaac's actions that seemed to animate his body, infusing him with movement and drive that helped him to reach his destination, a point A to point B. Hellboy turned around in a circle when they were deep within the woods, searching the landscape for a headstone or the field, but his eyes were still hazed with fatigue and he had lost Isaac in the process.

The forest was still and noiseless: no people, nor even any animals in sight. Hellboy looked up at the sky. It was blue and empty, laced with the reaching fingers of black trees at the edges.

"Come over here, Hellboy."

Hellboy grunted an answer that Isaac didn't catch. Isaac knew it was affirmative though.

They reached a small clearing in the forest; the heavy bank of clouds that had dogged them all day seemed to have finally lifted, for the sun was lighting up the clearing.

Isaac drummed his fingers on his blade, which had just unsheathed, eyes fixed on Sonya's grave-site. Isaac made a noise and gestured for Hellboy to stay in place.

Isaac continued forward, waist-high in the yellowing grass as it hushed in the soft breeze. He went over to the spot just above where she was buried and Hellboy arched a brow as he began to draws a series of arches and lines and curls that make an odd symbol not unlike the sigils he had seen Sonya studying in one of the Enochian books.

The trees begin to dance wildly as he pressed his hand to the center symbol. Crows flied overhead and fate seemed to curl around them. He started forward but stopped as the ground opened up with an odd sound, a stark black abyss. Isaac stared down into the darkness of the ground opening in front of her.

Isaac looked back over his shoulder to see him one last time in that sun-touched field, watching as he walked closer.

He was nearly about to fall into the pit, and Hellboy watched him move forward toward the gaping opening, sinuous and slow, an eternity between two steps. He heard Isaac's voice rise up above the wind, calling out words, old and not his.

Hellboy was assaulted by a blinding white light.

He could barely see once the light faded, but he hurried toward the sound of footsteps.

He stumbled upon a white mass in the brush, he thought it was a woman lying prone on her side, but it couldn't be, there was no way that was possible.

He gently, gently as possible, reached out to touch her, if only to get a glimpse at her face. She thrashed out violently and he pulled back.

There was a loud bang, and another glaringly bright flash of light and silence fell. He cocked his head and frowned, blinking, but the woman was gone.

But when Hellboy turned around, a young woman was standing there, the loveliest woman he had ever seen. She was snow-pale, with huge blue eyes; her great curtains of dark hair were tied back from her smooth white neck with a red ribbon, and she was dressed in something soft and ivory and entirely too thin for the weather. The hem of her dress flutters about her knees, the soft curve of her wrists make him think of poetry—something elegant and regal to it—and her bare feet, moving quick and soft in the dewy grass.

He knew her. He would know her anywhere.

With small, industrious fingers, he wiped away a splotch of dirt on her cheekbones, his touch tingling like a blush.

"Thank you," Sonya said, and Hellboy stared at her blankly. He had to be in some vivid dream, he thought.

But no. This was real. Time seemed to chose to stop around them. There was no birdsong; he did not feel the grass brushing around him; he could not even recall where Isaac was. Then Sonya laughed and turned her shining face, beaming at someone behind him, hands holding onto Hellboy's. Time felt slow then, slow as honey.

He found his voice. "How? How did you—"

She had no answer; well, none but this.

She kissed him. He inhaled her name into her mouth, and she trapped his tongue between her teeth; familiar as the inside of her own cheek. Her hands lock behind his neck. Her nails scored the back of his neck. They kissed and kissed and pressed and kissed. Where once there were words was obliterated now. The name of god stuck between them as she moved closer until he refused to pretend he ever knew where one of them ended and the other began.

He leaned in closer to kiss the air from her lungs completely. When he let go of her, she was pink and bright-eyed, lips red.

He repeated the only words he could, "How?"

"That would be thanks to me, actually," Isaac beamed, coming over to them. "I gave her part of my Grace. It will keep her alive but she's no longer immortal, actually, if I'm right—which I usually am—then I've given her a slowed aging process, which means—"

"We'll age together?" Hellboy asked.

Isaac nodded.

He grinned at Sonya and she shrugged. "You'd expect nothing less, would you."

"Of course not," He said, and he dropped his forehead in against her temple, laughing low in his throat.

"Let's go," She smiled and he took her hand in his.

He knelt, and weaved his fingers between hers.

"You know," He said to her. "I never considered it much. But marriage could be in the cards."

"God help us," She said, disentangling her hand from his and placing it upon her hip, and laughing at a joke he didn't mean to make, it echoed, full and bright, against the trees. "God help us all."


End file.
